The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Command, has on Monday arraigned four persons for alleged bribery of voters in favour of the incumbent governor of Osun State, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term in office during the governorship election held in the Dtate on July 16, 2022.
The suspects includes Adeyemo Bahiru Abiodun, Abidogun Ismail, Jimoh Kazeem and Yekini Nurudeen Abiodun.
They were arraigned before Justice Mathias Agboola of the State High Court, Osogbo, Osun State.
The suspects were apprehended on July 16, 2022 by operatives of the EFCC at different polling units following credible intelligence that the defendants were trading vote for cash to induce voters to vote Governor Oyetola for a second term in office.
It was gathered that 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.
While the charge of Adeyemo, Abidogun and Jimoh were merged, Yekini was prosecuted on a separate charge before the same court.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, upon their pleas, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja, who is the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, asked the court to fix a date for hearing and remand the defendants in the Correctional Center pending trial.
Also, in response, the defence represented by 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 court bail by a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin and had not breached the terms, assuring that the defendants would always be available in court to stand their trial.
Opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel contended that electoral offences are grievous crimes and the court should 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 card with a recent passport photograph to the registrar of the court.
Thereafter, the two cases were adjourned till November 21 and 28, 2022 for commencement of trial.
