The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out an eight-count charge against Adeniyi Adeyemi, accused of impersonating the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar struck out the case on Monday after the Federal Government requested its termination, saying the allegations should be prosecuted by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had reviewed the case file and identified loopholes in the original charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police.
Why the government withdrew the charge
Oyedepo explained that the documents Adeyemi allegedly forged while operating the purported agency involved offences that fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
He informed the court that a fresh charge had already been filed before the FCT High Court and that the government intended to arraign Adeyemi without delay.
The DPPF subsequently asked Justice Umar to strike out the existing charge in line with the law.
Defence counsel accepts application
Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application.
Consequently, Justice Umar granted the request and struck out the eight-count charge, allowing the Federal Government to proceed with the case before the FCT High Court.
Two co-defendants remain at large
Adeyemi, 38, was facing trial alongside two other defendants in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2025 over allegations of conspiracy and forgery.
The two co-defendants, identified only as Femi and Anu, were reportedly at large, and their surnames were not provided.
The fresh charge is expected to form the basis of Adeyemi’s arraignment before the FCT High Court.
