Court grants Senator Adeleke bail in exam malpractice trial, orders him to submit passport

The lawmaker is facing charges of examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, personation, breach of duty, and aiding and abetting as he's accused of conspiring with four others to carry out the acts while writing National Examination Council (NECO) on July 21, 2017.

When he was arraigned, alongside four other defendants, before the court on Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and alleged that its a political witchhunt.

The presiding judge, Justice I.E. Ekwo, granted the lawmaker bail on self-recognizance, and ordered him to deposit his international passport with the court's registrar.

Justice Ekwo also directed the lawmaker to sign a bond indicating that he will always be present during trial. The lawmaker had failed to show up when the case first opened before the court on October 15, forcing the judge to adjourn.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the case till December 17, 18 and 19 for the commencement of trial.

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Senator Adeleke's alleged crimes

According to the Police, Senator Adeleke registered for NECO in 2017 by impersonating students of Ojo/Aro Community High School in Osun State. When he was arrested on July 27, 2017, he signed a statement admitting that he registered but did not sit for the examination.

However, according to a result obtained from NECO, Adeleke has seven credits and one pass in the examination he claimed he didn't participate in. It was also discovered that in his application, he claimed he was born on June 12, 1997 (20 years old) even though he was 57 at the time.

The others who have been implicated in the scandal are Adeleke's brother, Sikiru, principal of the school, Aregbesola Mufutau, the staff responsible for registration, Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo and a teacher, Dare Olutope.