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By Victor Osula Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday withdrew the eight-count forgery case against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed director-general of the allegedly non-existent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), but said it would file fresh charges against him in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja subsequently dismissed the case after the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, applied for the proceedings to be dismissed.
Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), after reviewing the case file, discovered some “loopholes” which informed the decision to withdraw the charge and initiate fresh proceedings before the relevant court.
This development effectively closed the case in the Federal High Court, but does not end the federal government’s prosecution of Adeyemi over charges of forgery, fraud and identity theft.
The DPPF said arrangements have been made to take the matter to the FCT High Court, where Adeyemi will just be arraigned.
According to him, the documents that Adeyemi allegedly forged in the course of the operation of the controversial PFIPC could appropriately be the subject of legal proceedings before the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the federal government’s request to withdraw the case.
Accordingly, Justice Umar struck out the eight-count indictment and dismissed further proceedings before his court.
The withdrawal also disrupted a scheduled hearing on Adeyemi’s bail application.
Adeyemi had asked the court to release him on bail on health grounds, claiming that he was suffering from a contagious disease which required urgent medical attention from his doctors.
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the government had adequate facilities to meet his medical needs while in detention.
He had been detained following his arrest on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the Federal High Court after he failed to appear for his scheduled court hearing.
Following his eventual arraignment, Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, prompting the court to order his remand at the Kuje Correctional Center pending further proceedings.
The criminal case arose from allegations that Adeyemi posed as director general of the Presidential Council for the Promotion of Foreign Investment, a body that authorities described as an unauthorized or non-existent government agency.
The controversy centered on claims that official documents were falsified and used to create the impression that the PFIPC and the purported appointment of Adeyemi had the support of the Presidency.
The matter subsequently attracted investigations by security and anti-corruption authorities and culminated in criminal proceedings against Adeyemi.
Subsequently, in the previous sitting of the Federal High Court, the Attorney General of the Federation took the place of the police in the prosecution.
This intervention led to a review of the case file, which prosecutors say highlighted the legal issues that led to Monday’s withdrawal.
The government, however, stressed that it was changing the venue of the prosecution rather than dropping the charges against Adeyemi.
The planned new proceedings before the FCT High Court will therefore determine whether the prosecution can prove its allegations regarding the disputed documents and Adeyemi’s activities under the PFIPC.
Among those previously called to testify in the withdrawn case was the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Others listed as potential prosecution witnesses included Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede and Ituah Sylvester.
Civil servants working at the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, identified as Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were also expected to testify.
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