The Police in Osun have arrested a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, Mr. Adedeji Adekunle, for allegedly swindling some other members of the party to the tune of N517,000.
Adekunle was said to have impersonated the state APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun and allegedly obtained the sum from the members under the pretence that he would give each of them a councillorship slot in their various political wards in Irewole Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect was accused of creating a WhatsApp platform to which he added members of the party in the area.
He was also accused of using the platform to disseminate fake information through which the victims were defrauded.
When Adekunle was arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court, the Police prosecutor informed the court through a charge sheet obtained by our correspondent that the accused had defrauded five members of the party of the sum of N517,000 before he was caught.
The police further alleged that Adekunle collected N1,000 each from some of the APC members in some local government areas to produce T-shirts of the party for them.
Adekunle was said to have collected the sum of N188,000 from Sikira Adesina; N163,000 from Babatunde Adejimi; N136,000 from Afeez Adekunle; N10,000 from Aliyu Akewusola and N20,000 from Dada Abdullahi.
The charge revealed further that the accused committed the offence between November 17, 2019 and February 19, 2020 at the Ode-Omu area of the state.
But Adekunle pleaded not guilty to the five count-charge bordering on impersonation, stealing and obtaining money under false pretence.
Defence counsel, Tunbosun Oladipupo, made oral bail application for Adekunle and argued that the constitution presumed him innocent of the allegations until proved otherwise by the court.
Magistrate Modupe Awodele granted Adekunle bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties who must reside within the Gbongan Magisterial District.
She then transferred the matter to the Gbongan Magistrate’s Court for mention.
