Crime

Nigerian government charges Adebutu for alleged vote buying during 2023 elections

The Nigerian Government has charged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State during the 2023 elections, Hon Oladipupo Adebutu, for allegedly buying votes during the 18 March, 2023 elections in the state.

Penpushing reports that this was contained in a suit brought by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice before an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, with nine other persons associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also charged.

The government in a separate suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, equally charged Zenith Bank and two of its top officials for allegedly aiding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate to commit the alleged offence.

Penpushing further reports that the two suits were filed on Thursday, 2 June, 2023 on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice by the Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation , M. B. Abubakar; Aderonke Imana, an assistant chief state counsel, and Sani Bagudu, a senior counsel at the Department of Public Prosecution of the Federation.

Computer generated 3D photo rendering.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate was charged alongside Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi and Sanni Adejoke before the State High Court in Abeokuta, while other defendants are Dare Ogunleye, Dare Adeoye, Dayo Fashina, Wasiu Enololobo, and Malik Akawo.

Penpushing also reports that the notice filed by the prosecution, stated that Adebutu and four of the other defendants are currently at large, while it is recalled that the Governorship Candidate as at the time of filing this report was alleged to have fled abroad following threats to his life after the governorship election.

The police it is also recalled said Adebutu through his lawyer had told investigators that he travelled abroad for medical care after he was invited over allegations of vote buying made against him in a petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Penpushing reports that Nigerian government in the suit with number AB/10c/2023 before the Ogun State High Court, charged Adebutu and the fifth defendant, Adejoke Sanni, with three counts of alleged criminal conspiracy, bribery and undue influence, while the eight others were charged only with the first two counts.

“That you, (the ten defendants) on or about 18th of March, 2023 at Ibara, Ogun State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire amongst yourselves to corruptly give gifts in the form of verve prepaid cards which had inscribed in them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement (sic) Scheme for less privileged ‘ in order to induce voters to endeavour the return of PDP Candidates during the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in Ogun state and you thereto committed an offence’, the charge reads.

“That you (defendants) on or about 18th of March, 2023 at Ibara, Ogun State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did corruptly give gifts in the form of verve prepaid cards which had inscribed on them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for less privileged’ in order to induce voters to endeavour the return of PDP Candidates during the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in Ogun state and you thereby committed an offence’, it added.

“That you Oladipupo Olatunde Adebuti (now at large), Adult Male of Kessington House, Iperu, Ogun State between February-March, 2023 at Ogun State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did provide 200,000 prepaid verve cards loaded with N10,000 (ten thousand naira) which had inscribed on them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for less privileged” for the purpose of corruptly influencing votes to vote for PDP Candidates (Including yourself) during the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in Ogun state and you thereby committed an offence’.

“That you, Sanni Adejoke, Adult Female of No 1 Owoseni Street Lausa Olanbe junction Ifo, Ogun State on or about 18th of March, 2023 at Agbara, Ogun State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did have in your possession 131 prepaid verve cards which had inscribed on them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for less privileged ‘ for the purpose of corruptly influencing voters to vote for PDP Candidates during the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections in Ogun State and you thereby committed an offence.”

Penpushing further reports that the prosecution listed eight witnesses it plans to call to prove its case, and they include a police officer, three officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and two points of sale (POS) operators.

The record has it that in the other suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, the defendants are Zenith Bank, its Managing Director, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, and the head of card services at the bank, Celestina Appeal.

‘That you, (Mr Onyeagwu and Ms Appeal) between February 2023 to March 2023 in Ogun state within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fail to report dust transactions which appeared to have no economic justification or lawful objective, in the account of Oladipupo Olatunde Adebutu domiciled in Zenith Bank plc. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 7(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 7 (10) of the same Act’, the charge reads.

‘That you, Zenith Bank Plc of 278 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island Lagos, between February 2023 to March 2023 in Ogun State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fall to verify the identity of its customers carrying out Electoral Financial Transactions on verve cards with the inscription ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for less privileged” requiring the customer’s personal information before their issuance and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 37 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015”, it added

Penpushing also reports that as at the time of filing this report, no dates have been fixed for hearings in the suits, just as the governorship election petition tribunal in Ogun State on Monday began hearing the petition filed by Adebutu against the reelection of Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The Police investigators last month it is recalled reported that Adebutu deployed N2billion to induce voters across the state to vote for him and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates during the 18 March, 2023 governorship and state assembly elections.

Penpushing reports that, a group of political parties in the state, following the report of investigation for alleged vote buying had warned the police against being used to intimidate Adebutu, and the report followed law enforcement investigation into a petition written to the Inspector-General of Police by Chief Abdullahi Sanusi, Chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state.

The  petition dated 18 March, 2023 and addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, accused Adebutu  of distributing Automated Teller Machine(ATM) cards preloaded with N10, 000 to induce voters on election day.

Penpushing also reports that  the petition  alleged that  Adebutu used Verve ATM credit cards branded in the name of his late mother, ‘Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Endowment Scheme for less privileged,’ to buy votes at polling booths.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the petition emphasized that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also stationed Point of Sales (P.O.S) vendors in every polling booth as an easy means to withdraw the cash from the cards.

Penpushing reports that it is recalled that the petition was investigated by a team led by Mohammed Babakura, a Deputy Commissioner of Police at the Criminal Investigation Department of the police in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Candidate, Afolabi Orekoya, however, denied that the cards were used to induce voters, arguing that the cards were issued for empowerment of poor people in honour of the memory of his principal’s mother who died in January.

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