Court Strikes Out Charges Against Fake Agency

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the eight-count criminal charge against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), following a request by the Federal Government for the case to be heard afresh before the FCT High Court.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the eight-count criminal charge filed by the Federal Government against Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is accused of impersonating the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar struck out the charge on Monday following an application by the Federal Government, which said Adeyemi would be transferred to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for fresh arraignment.

The decision followed a review of Adeyemi’s case file by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, which reportedly identified legal defects in the original charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police.

AGF’s Review Uncovers Legal Defects

Moving the application, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that the Attorney-General had reviewed the case file and identified issues requiring the prosecution to pursue the matter before a different court.

Oyedepo explained that the documents allegedly forged by Adeyemi while operating the purported agency constituted offences that could be prosecuted by 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 Adeyemi would be arraigned afresh without delay.

The prosecution subsequently urged Justice Umar to strike out the existing charge to allow the case to proceed before the appropriate court.

Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application.

Following the submissions, Justice Umar granted the request and struck out the eight-count charge.

Adeyemi Faces Fresh Arraignment

Adeyemi, 38, was being prosecuted in a case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2025, alongside two other defendants identified only as Femi and Anu, whose surnames were not provided and whose whereabouts were reportedly unknown.

The defendants faced allegations bordering on conspiracy and forgery linked to the operation of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The Federal Government's decision to discontinue the existing proceedings before the Federal High Court does not amount to an acquittal on the allegations. Rather, the prosecution has indicated its intention to pursue a fresh case before the FCT High Court.

Adeyemi is expected to face the new charge before that court, although the date of his fresh arraignment was not stated in the reports of Monday's proceedings.

What Happens Next?

The next stage is the fresh arraignment before the FCT High Court, where the allegations will be presented under the new charge.

The case raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the alleged operation of the purported agency, the documents said to have been forged and the legal process through which the Federal Government intends to prosecute the defendant.

For now, the key development is procedural: the Federal High Court has struck out the original charge following the prosecution's application, while the Federal Government says it intends to continue the case in another court.

Adeyemi remains an accused person, and the allegations against him have yet to be determined by the court.