FG withdraws charges against fake PFIPC DG, Adeyemi

The Federal Government has withdrawn the eight-count criminal charge against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged fake Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), paving the way for his fresh arraignment before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, struck out the charges following an application by the prosecution, which said a review of the case revealed issues with the choice of court handling the matter.

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had reviewed the case file and the charges filed by the Inspector-General of Police.

Oyedepo said the review revealed that the documents Adeyemi allegedly forged while operating the purported agency fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.

He informed the court that a fresh charge had been filed before the FCT High Court and that Adeyemi would be arraigned there without delay.

The prosecution consequently urged Justice Umar to strike out the existing charge in accordance with the law.

Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, also a SAN, did not oppose the application.

The judge subsequently struck out the eight-count charge.

Adeyemi had been standing trial alongside two other defendants, whose whereabouts were unknown, over allegations of conspiracy and forgery.

The withdrawal of the charges at the Federal High Court followed the prosecution’s decision to pursue the case before the FCT High Court.