Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin on Tuesday November 19, 2019 set aside 22nd of January, 2020 for Judgment in a criminal case filed against a suspected vote buyer, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir.
Abdulkadir was arrested on the 9th of March 2019 for allegedly sharing money to voters in order to compromise the outcome of governorship and state assembly elections in his polling unit .
Count one of the charge reads “That you, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir and Oye Obalola (still at large) on or about the 9th day of March, 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of of the Kwara State High Court, during the 2019 gubernatorial election, conspired among yourselves to provide N120,000.00 for the purpose of using same at the polling unit 007, College of Education, Ilorin to corruptly influence persons to vote and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124 (5) and 130 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (As amended) and punishable under Section130 (b) of the same Act”
He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on the 19th of March, 2019.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, counsel to the defendant, A.S Abdulahi urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendant on the grounds that the prosecution failed to link the crime to his client. He also claimed that the EFCC lacked power to prosecute offences under the Electoral Act.
Prosecuting Counsel, Nnaemeka Omeiwa however urged Justice Oyinloye to convict the defendant as the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
After the argument of both parties, Justice Oyinloye fixed January 22 for Judgement.
