The Senator representing Osun West at the Nigerian Senate, Ademola Adeleke, was on Tuesday, re-arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Adeleke, a governorship candidate of the PDP in Osun, who was first arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy and impersonation in September, had three new charges preferred against him.
The Osun West lawmaker and four others were slammed with a four-count charge filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of fraudulently, through impersonation, registering as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro Osun State to enable them sit for the National Examination Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.
Arraigned alongside the senator were Sikiru Adeleke, who also sat for the examination; principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Alhaji Aregbesola Muftau; the school’s registrar, Gbadamosi Ojo; and Dare Olutope, a teacher at Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School.
The police also accused Adeleke of making false documents, regarding his age and violating the exam malpractice act, CAP E15, 2004 but the senator pleaded not guilty, and also alleged a political witchhunt.
During the court sitting in October, Justice I E, Ekwo, the presiding judge, granted three accused persons, who had filed their separate bail applications ahead of the arraignment, bail.
Justice Ekwo granted Adeleke based on his status as a senator. However, he stated that the senator must enter a bond to assure the court that would be present in court for his trial.
The judge also told Adeleke to leave his passport with the registrar of the court and that he had to get the permission of the court before he travels out of the country.
The two accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N2m each with one surety each who must be a “responsible” citizen and owner of landed property in Abuja.
Justice Ekwo also directed them to deposit their passports with the court’s registry. He noted that they must get the permission of the court before travelling out of the country.
PDP’s Adeleke lost to the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, in the governorship election. He is the state election tribunal to challenge the result.
