Abuja Court ENDS FG’s Charges Against Alleged Fake PFIPC Director-General
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the eight-count criminal charge filed by the Federal Government against Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is accused of presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar struck out the charge on Monday following an application by the Federal Government, which said Adeyemi would be transferred to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory for a fresh arraignment.
At the proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, moved the application seeking the termination of the case.
Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had reviewed Adeyemi’s case file and the charge initially filed by the Inspector-General of Police. The review, he said, revealed some loopholes in the case.
According to the prosecution, the documents Adeyemi allegedly forged while operating the purported agency constituted offences that could be prosecuted by the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
The Director of Public Prosecutions added that a fresh charge had already been filed before the FCT High Court and that Adeyemi would be arraigned again without delay.
He therefore urged the judge to strike out the existing charge in accordance with the law.
Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application. Following the application and the defence’s position, Justice Umar struck out the charge.
Adeyemi, 38, had been standing trial alongside two other defendants in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2025. The two co-defendants, identified only as Femi and Anu, were said to be at large, and their whereabouts remained unknown.
The charges against the defendants bordered on conspiracy and forgery.
The latest decision ends the proceedings on the existing charge before the Federal High Court, but the Federal Government says it intends to pursue a fresh prosecution at the FCT High Court.
Source: Punch Newspapers
