By Hadiza Mohammed, Northern Operation
The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out an eight-count forgery charge against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly posed as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), following the Federal Government’s decision to withdraw the case.
Justice Mohammed Umar terminated further proceedings on Monday after the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had reviewed the case file and identified issues that necessitated the withdrawal of the charge.
Oyedepo told the court that the Federal Government intended to transfer the case to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for a fresh arraignment of the defendant.
According to the prosecution, the review revealed that the alleged offences involving the documents in question could be prosecuted before the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
The application to strike out the charge was not opposed by Adeyemi’s counsel, Mr Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, paving the way for the court to bring the proceedings to an end.
The case was initially instituted by the police before the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation took over the prosecution at the previous adjourned sitting.
Adeyemi had been arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation in connection with his purported operation of the PFIPC, which has been described as a non-existent agency.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the court ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and fixed a date for the hearing of his bail application.
The defendant, who had been in detention since July 14 following his arrest on the strength of a bench warrant issued by the court, had urged the judge to grant him bail on health grounds.
He told the court that he was suffering from a contagious ailment requiring urgent medical attention from his doctors.
However, the prosecution opposed the bail request, arguing that the government had adequate medical facilities to attend to his health needs.
The planned hearing of the bail application did not proceed following the Federal Government’s decision to withdraw the charge.
Among those earlier listed as potential prosecution witnesses were the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.
Other proposed witnesses included civil servants in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
With the Federal Government signalling its intention to pursue the matter before the FCT High Court, further proceedings will depend on the planned fresh arraignment.
The striking out of the charge at the Federal High Court followed the prosecution’s withdrawal application and does not, in itself, amount to a determination of the allegations against Adeyemi.
