The Federal Government has withdrawn an eight-count criminal charge against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of operating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a fictitious presidential agency that allegedly secured government office space, obtained a budgetary allocation and interacted with public institutions despite lacking a legal basis for its establishment.
The Federal High Court in Abuja struck out the charge on Monday after the government announced plans to arraign Adeyemi afresh before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar granted the application moved by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), following the decision of Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, not to oppose it.
Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had reviewed the case file and the charge initially filed by the Inspector-General of Police, identifying legal issues that required the matter to be prosecuted before the FCT High Court.
He said the alleged offences involving documents purportedly forged during the operation of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
A fresh charge had already been filed there, he added, assuring the court that Adeyemi would be arraigned without delay.
The decision to strike out the charge does not amount to an acquittal.
The Federal Government intends to pursue the allegations through a fresh prosecution.
