The Nigerian government on Tuesday arraigned Ladi Adebutu, Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in the 2023 general election in Ogun State, before a High Court sitting in Abeokuta.
Mr Adebutu was arraigned alongside nine others.
The charges were amended in the case instituted in July 2023 over allegations of financial inducement of voters during the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.
The other nine defendants were arraigned in July 2023. Adebutu was reportedly out of the country at the time.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, counsel to the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, told the court that the charge had been amended, having served Adebutu who is a major defendant in the suit.
Jacobs, thereafter, prayed the court to accept the amended charges, with counsel to the defendants, Gordy Uche, not objecting to it.
Justice Abiodun Akinyemi granted the application and subsequently took the pleas of Adebutu and the six other defendants who were present in court.
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Adebutu and the six other defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them.
In the suit, marked: AB/10c/2023 (FRN vs Adebutu & Ors), the Federal Government alleged that Adebutu ordered, through his bank, the issuance of 200,000 preloaded ATM verve cards with N10,000.
The cards were said to have been distributed on the day of election across the state, with the intent to induce voters.
Counsel to Adebutu, however, prayed the court to grant Adebutu bail on self-recognisance, saying that he (Adebutu) was only served on Tuesday morning and he still presented himself in court.
Jacobs did not object to the bail application.
Consequently, the judge granted Adebutu bail in the sum of N1 million, with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till February 7 for trial.
