EFCC Charges Alleged Vote Seller in Kwara State.

 

Adekunle Ademola, who is suspected of selling votes, has been arraigned by the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This information was revealed in a statement released by the EFCC on Wednesday evening.

According to the statement, Ademola's legal proceedings began on March 18, 2023, when he was apprehended by EFCC officers who were on election monitoring duty at Polling Unit 04, Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin.

The statement further stated that the suspect was brought before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday, November 22. He was charged with one count of vote selling.

The charge against Ademola read as follows: "On March 18, 2023, in Ilorin, within the jurisdiction of the High Court, as a voter at Polling Unit 004, Ilorin Grammar School, Geri Alimi, Ilorin, Kwara State, during the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Election in Kwara State, you agreed to receive money into your account number 0035091636 held with Guarantee Trust Bank Plc in exchange for voting at the election. This act is in violation of Section 121 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and is punishable under section 121 (4) of the same Act."

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. In response to his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Andrew Akoja, requested a trial date to allow the prosecution to present its case and also asked for the defendant to be remanded in a Correctional Centre.

Subsequently, Justice Abdulgafar ordered that the defendant be remanded at Mandala Correctional Centre and scheduled the trial to commence on December 6, 2023.