Federal government has dragged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election in Ogun State, Hon Ladi Adebutu, a leading commercial bank and its management, as well as 10 other persons, before the court for money laundering, bribery, and criminal conspiracy, among others.
In a two separate suits numbered: AB/10C/2023 and FHC/AB/56C/2023 instituted by the federal government before an Ogun State High Court and the Federal High Court sitting in the Oke-Mosan area of Abeokuta respectively, the government accused Adebutu, his nine accomplices; the commercial bank, its managing director of engaging in criminal activities targeted at buying votes for and ensuring victory for the PDP candidates in the March 18 governorship and State Assembly’s election, thereby contravening sections of the Electoral Act 2022.
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While Adebutu and nine others: Messers Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adegoke, Hon Dare Lukman Ogunleye, Dayo Fasina, Wasiu Enilolobo and Malik Badmus are facing four-count charges bothering on bribery, conspiracy and undue influence in the suit number: AB/10C/2023, the bank, its managing director are facing a two-count charge in suit number: FHC/AB/56C/2023 according to the charge sheet, copy of which was obtained by Leadership Newspaper.
In the charge sheet deposed to by the director of public prosecutions of the federation, M.B. Abubakar for and on behalf of the attorney-general of the federation, Adebutu and the nine others allegedly conspired to corruptly give gifts in form of Verve prepaid cards which had the inscription of “Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme For The Less Privileged” for the purpose of inducing voters to cast their votes for the PDP governorship and State Assembly’s candidates during the poll.
On the part of the bank’s management, the suit accused the MD and one Celestina of failing to report suspicious transactions, which appeared to have no economic justification or lawful objectives in the account of its customer, Adebutu.
The suit also accused the bank as an entity, of failing at verifying the identity of its customer carrying out an electronic financial transaction on verve prepaid cards with the inscription of “Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme For The Less Privileged” for the purpose of inducing voters to cast their votes for the PDP governorship and State Assembly’s candidates during the poll.
The offences, the government said, contravened Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act 2022 and punishable under the relevant sections of the same Electoral Act.
The two courts are yet to fix dates for hearing of the two suits brought before them by the federal government.