By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday struck out an eight-count charge of forgery against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who was accused of parading himself as the Director-General of the allegedly non-existent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the charge following an application by the Federal Government, represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The DPPF told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), after reviewing the case file, identified some gaps that informed the decision to withdraw the charges.
He explained that the government intended to initiate fresh proceedings against Adeyemi at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to him, the alleged forged documents involved in the operation of the purported agency could be prosecuted at 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.
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, who has been in detention since July 14 following his arrest on the strength of a bench warrant issued by the court, was arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges, after which the court ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and fixed a date for further proceedings.
The defendant had also applied for bail, urging the court to consider his alleged health condition. He told the court that he was suffering from a contagious ailment requiring urgent medical attention from his doctors.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, arguing that the government had adequate medical facilities to attend to his health needs.
The scheduled hearing of the bail application was overtaken by the withdrawal of the charges.
Among those earlier listed as potential prosecution witnesses were the Chief of Staff to the President, 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.
The planned transfer of the case to the FCT High Court signals the Federal Government’s intention to pursue fresh proceedings against Adeyemi over the allegations.