Zenith Bank Official Testifies Against Adebutu in High Court Over Alleged Money Laundering

A staff member at Zenith Bank, Celestina Appeal, testified against the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, during the ongoing trial for alleged money laundering.

The federal government has accused Adebutu and nine others of financially influencing voters during the March 18 governorship election.

Celestina Appeal, who is the Head of the Department of Card Services at Zenith Bank, testified that Adebutu requested the production of 200,000 prepaid verve cards on February 27, 2023.

She stated that these cards were meant to be distributed to beneficiaries of Adebutu’s empowerment scheme in honor of his late mother, Dame Caroline Adebutu.

The witness confirmed that the cards were produced after receiving approval from Verve and were subsequently delivered to Adebutu on March 7 and 13, 2023.

She also mentioned that Adebutu provided a graphical design he wanted on the card and that the bank confirmed the purpose of the request before proceeding with the production.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by Rotimi Jacobs from the Federal Government of Nigeria, attempted to submit Adebutu’s letter of request and his account statement as evidence.

However, Adebutu’s counsel, Gordy Uche, SAN, opposed the admission of the documents due to their lack of certification.

The prosecution argued that private documents do not need to be certified, citing various legal precedents.

The presiding Judge, Justice Abiodun Akinyemi, postponed the proceedings until March 20, 2024, for a ruling on the admission of the documents and further continuation of the trial.

As the trial progresses, the public awaits the court’s decision on the admissibility of the evidence presented by the prosecution and the outcome of the case against Adebutu and his co-defendants.

The trial has garnered significant attention as it highlights the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and promote transparency in Nigeria’s political landscape.