The Federal Government has charged Oladipupo Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State during the 2023 election, with money laundering and vote-buying.
The government also dragged Zenith Bank, its Managing Director, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, and the head of card services at the bank, Celestina Appeal, before the Federal High Court in Abeokuta for allegedly aiding Adebutu to commit the alleged offence.
Abdullahi Sanusi, the Ogun State chairperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, in March, accusing Adebutu of distributing ATM cards preloaded with N10,000 to buy votes at the polling booth on election day.
The government accused Adebutu of vote-buying during the state’s governorship election on March 18, as detailed in the charge sheet AB/10c/2023.
The office of the Attorney General of the Federation, which filed the charges, also listed nine other PDP members as Adebutu’s co-defendants.
They are Ogunbona Hammed, Tiamiyu Waliu, Egunsola Owolabi, Sanni Adejoke, Dare Ogunleye, Dare Adeoye, Dayo Fashina, Wasiu Enololobo, and Malik Akawo.
In the charge sheet, the FG said Adebutu was at large.
Adebutu, alleging a threat to his life, had shortly after the election reportedly travelled out of the country.
The governorship candidate and Adegoke were charged with three counts of criminal conspiracy, bribery and undue influence, while the eight others were charged with vote-buying and conspiracy.
The prosecution listed eight witnesses, including a police officer, three NDLEA officials, and two Points of Sale operators, against Adebutu and others.
One of the charges read: “That you Oladipupo Adebutu (now at large), adult male of Kessington House, Iperu, Ogun State between February and March 2023 at Ogun State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did provide 200,000 prepaid verve cards loaded with N10,000, which had inscribed on them ‘Dame Caroline Oladuni Adebutu Memorial Endorsement Scheme for Less Privileged’ to corruptly influence votes to vote for PDP candidates (including yourself) during the governorship and state assembly elections in Ogun State, and you thereby committed an offence.”
In another suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abeokuta, the prosecution accused Zenith Bank, its Managing Director, Onyeagwu, and the head of card services at the bank, Appeal, of aiding Adebutu to commit the alleged crime.
The government alleged: “That you (Mr Onyeagwu and Ms Appeal) between February 2023 and March 2023 in Ogun State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did fail to report dust transactions that appeared to have no economic justification or lawful objective, in the account of Oladipupo 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.”
