Court Strikes Out Forgery Charge Against Alleged PFIPC DG

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday struck out an eight-count forgery charge against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Justice Mohammed Umar terminated the proceedings after the Federal Government withdrew the charge, citing defects identified during a review of the case file.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had reviewed the case and decided to discontinue the prosecution.

Oyedepo said the government planned to arraign Adeyemi afresh before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He also told the court that the alleged forgery offences fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.

Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the prosecution’s application to strike out the charge. Justice Umar subsequently granted the application, bringing the proceedings to an end.

The police initially filed the charges, but the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the prosecution at the previous sitting.

Adeyemi faces allegations of forgery, fraud and impersonation arising from his activities as the purported head of the PFIPC, which authorities have described as non-existent.

He has remained in detention since July 14, when authorities arrested him following a bench warrant issued by the court. After his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the court ordered his remand at Kuje Prison.

The defendant had also applied for bail, arguing that he suffered from a contagious ailment that required urgent medical attention from his doctors.

However, the prosecution opposed the application, maintaining that the government had adequate facilities to attend to his medical needs.

The court had scheduled a hearing on the bail application, but the withdrawal of the charge halted the process.

Among those earlier listed as prosecution witnesses were the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede and Ituah Sylvester.

Other proposed witnesses included Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, civil servants in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The withdrawal ends the current proceedings at the Federal High Court, but the prosecution’s plan to pursue a fresh arraignment means the allegations could still be tested before the FCT High Court.