The federal government on Tuesday arraigned the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, before a State High Court sitting in Abeokuta on charges bordering on alleged vote-buying.
The charges were amended to accommodate and arraign Adebutu in the suit instituted in July 2023, on allegations of financial inducement of voters during the March 18 election.
Nine other defendants were arraigned by the federal government in July 2023, except for Adebutu, who was reportedly out of the country.
When the court resumed hearing on Tuesday, counsel to the FG, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told the court that the charge had been amended for having served Adebutu, who is a major defendant in the case.
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The court, thereafter, took the plea of Adebutu and six other defendants present in court. They pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In the suit marked AB/10c/2023 (FRN Vs Adebutu &Ors), the FG alleged that Adebutu ordered through his bank the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM Verve cards with N10,000 and distributed the same on the day of the election across the state with an intent of inducing voters in the state.
After his plea, Adebutu’s counsel urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognition, saying the defendant was only served on Tuesday morning, and he presented himself before the court.
But the trial judge, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, granted Adebutu bail in the sum of N1million and one surety. He adjourned the case to today for trial.
