Ogun council chair arraigned, remanded for defaming gov

Forum 7 months ago

Ogun council chair arraigned, remanded for defaming gov

The police, on Tuesday, arraigned the impeached Chairman of the Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun, Wale Adedayo, for allegedly defaming Governor Dapo Abiodun by peddling of falsehood against the governor.

The embattled council chair was arraigned before an Ogun State Magistrates’ Court in Isabo, Abeokuta.

He was arraigned on two counts bordering on false allegations and willful intent to damage Abiodun’s reputation.

The police told the court that Adedayo acted in violation of sections 59(1) and 375 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following an application by his lawyer, Kayode Akinsola, the magistrate, Adejoke Araba, admitted Adedayo to bail in the sum of N2m with two ‘responsible and reliable sureties’ in like sum.

The magistrate said the sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must possess landed property with tax clearance.

Adjourning the matter till October 20 for trial, the magistrate, however, ordered that Adedayo be remanded at Ibara correctional facility, Abeokuta, pending when he will perfect the bail conditions.

The charges against the council chair stemmed from a petition written by the Ogun governor to the police against Adedayo.

Troubles started for Adedayo after he accused the governor of diverting and starving local governments of funds to the tune of N10.8bn.

In the petition against him, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, the governor complained about Adedayo’s “deliberate circulation of falsehood, false report to government, threat to life and interference with the exercise of executive function.”

Adedayo was arrested on Monday at his residence in Ijebu Ife by officers from the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta following the petition by the government.