Four people, who were arrested for vote buying during the gubernatorial election held in Osun state on July 16, 2022, were on Monday taken to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin Zonal Command .
The Public Relations Unit of the zonal command in a statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com on Monday claimed that they were caught while offering inducements to voters to vote for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, who was the APC guber candidate.
The suspects ; Adeyemo Bahiru Abiodun, Abidogun Ismail, Jimoh Kazeem and Yekini Nurudeen Abiodun were brought before Justice Mathias Agboola of the Osun state High Court, Oshogbo on Monday.
Yekini Nurudeen Abiodun
The suspects, the statement noted, were arrested on July 16, 2022 by the EFCC agents at different polling Units following credible intelligence reports that the defendants were engaging in vote buying.
‘Specifically, Adeyemi, Abidogun and Jimoh were arrested at Polling Unit 002, Ward 2, Ababu, Isale Osun, while Abiodun was picked up at Unit 2, Isale Agbara, Oshogbo.
This audacious move by the EFCC is to check the practice of vote buying and other financial inducements undermining the integrity of our elections. It is important to state however that those who offer bribe for votes are as guilty as those who receive such gratifications during elections.
While the charge of Adeyemo, Abidogun and Jimoh were consolidated, Yekini was prosecuted on separate charge before the same court.
The charge against Adeyemo, Abidogun and Jimoh reads:
“Conspiracy to bribe contrary to section 121 (5) and punishable under section 121 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022
Particulars of the Offence
Adeyemo Bashiru Abiodun, Abidogun Ismail and Jimoh Kazeem on the 16th of July 2022 in Oshogbo within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to corruptly offer monetary gifts to voters at unit 2, ward 2, Isale Odun, Oshogbo, Osun State in order to induce them and ensure the re-election of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola as Governor of Osun State during the Osun State Gubernatorial Election’.
For Nurudeen, the Charge reads:
Bribery contrary to Section 121 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 121 (1) (d) of Electoral Act, 2022
Particulars of the Charge
‘You, Nurudeen Abiodun on 16th July, 2022 at Oshogbo within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court corruptly offered monetary gift to voters at Polling Unit 002, Ward 8, Are Agbo Isale Agbara in order to induce them to vote for Adegboyega Oyetola during the Osun State Gubernatorial Election on 16th July, 2022’ the statement said.
The statement added that the defendants pleaded not guilty .
Upon their pleas, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja ,who were the counsels for the Commission, asked the court to fix a date for hearing and remand the defendants in the Correctional Center pending trial.
Counsels for the defendants; N. T Adekilekun and M. O Sambo through respective oral applications prayed the Court to admit the defendants to bail. They argued that the defendants had earlier been granted bail by the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin and had not breached the terms. They assured that the defendants would always be available in court for trial.
Opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel contended that electoral offences are grievous crimes asking the court to consider the weight of the evidence before it and the prevalence of the offence.
In his ruling, Justice Agboola granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2million with one surety each in like sum. The surety, who must not be below Grade Level 13 in the State Civil Service, must deposit their Identity cards with recent passport photographs with the Registrar of the court.
The two cases were later adjourned until November 21 and 28, 2022 for commencement of trial- Team@orientactualmags.com
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