The Federal Government yesterday arraigned Oladipupo Adebutu at an Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the state capital, on seven-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and other offences.
Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State in last year’s general election, 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 cards with N10,000 and distributed same on Election Day across the state with criminal intent to induce voters.
The police charged Adebutu and six others for the alleged offence and the PDP candidate sneaked out of the country for months at the time and returned last December.
In his submission, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, 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 charge preferred against them, Uche pleaded with the court to allow the second to fifth and 10th defendants to continue to enjoy bail on earlier terms.
He prayed the court to grant the first defendant, Adebutu, bail on self-recognisance, saying he came to the court on his volition.
But Jacobs opposed the prayer, saying while he had no objection to the prayer for bail, he disagreed with the self-recognisance clause.
The presiding judge, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, granted Adebutu a N1 million bail with a surety in like sum who may be a family member or bondsman.
The matter was adjourned till today for hearing.
