FG arraigns Adebutu, others over money laundering
The federal government has
arraigned Oladipupo Adebutu before an Ogun State High Court sitting in
Abeokuta, the state capital, on seven count charges bordering on money
laundering and other offences.
Recall that Adebutu, the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the gubernatorial election held on March
18, 2023, was accused of criminal inducement during the poll by security agents
alongside other members of his party
He was alleged to have ordered
through his bank the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM verve cards with
N10,000 and distributed same on the day of election across the state with
criminal intention of inducing voters in the state.
Adebutu and six other people were
later charged to court by the police, during which he sneaked out of the
country for months and returned December last year.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr
Rotimi Jacobs, earlier in his submission orally withdrew the prior information
supplied, and substituted same with amended information, without any objection
from the lead counsel to the defendants, Chief Gordy Uche.
While all the defendants pleaded
not guilty to the seven count charges preferred against them, their lead
counsel, Chief Gordy Uche pleaded with the court to allow the 2nd to 5th and
10th defendants to continue to enjoy bail on earlier terms.
He then prayed the court to grant
the first defendant, Adebutu, bail on self recognition.
However, his prayer that Adebutu
should be granted bail was opposed by the prosecuting counsel noting that while
he has no objection to the prayer for bail, he disagreed with the self recognition
clause.
The presiding judge, Justice
Abiodun Akinyemi, therefore, granted the 1st defendant bail in the sum of
N1million with a surety in the like sum who may be a family member or bondsman,
as the case was adjourned till 7th February 2024 for hearing.
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