The Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, the state capital, convened on Tuesday to arraign Oladipupo Adebutu on seven counts related to money laundering and other offenses.
The case, bearing number AB/10c/2023 (FRN Vs Adebutu & Ors), marks a crucial juncture in the ongoing legal proceedings.
Adebutu, who served as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the gubernatorial election held on March 18, 2023, faced allegations of criminal inducement during the poll, alongside other members of his party as reported by security agents.
The charges against Adebutu stem from the alleged ordering, through his bank, of 200,000 preloaded ATM Verve cards with N10,000 each. These cards were purportedly distributed on the day of the election across the state, with the alleged criminal intent of inducing voters.
Following these accusations, Adebutu and six other individuals were brought before the court by the police. Adebutu, however, reportedly left the country for several months before returning in December 2023.
During the recent court proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, orally withdrew the prior information supplied and substituted it with an amended version, a move that encountered no objection from the lead counsel to the defendants, Chief Gordy Uche.
All the defendants entered pleas of not guilty to the seven-count charges leveled against them. Chief Gordy Uche, representing the defendants, requested the court to allow the 2nd to 5th and 10th defendants to maintain their bail on the earlier terms. He further urged the court to grant Oladipupo Adebutu bail on self-recognizance, emphasizing that he willingly appeared in court.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, opposed the request for Adebutu's bail on self-recognizance, expressing no objection to bail but disagreeing with the self-recognizance clause. The unfolding legal proceedings promise to shed light on the intricacies of the case and its potential implications for Adebutu and the others involved.
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