The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to allow detained self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, access to his legal representatives.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the directive on Thursday while delivering a ruling on a fundamental rights suit filed on Adeyemi’s behalf.
However, the judge declined to grant Adeyemi’s requests for his release, bail and access to medical care until the respondents had been given an opportunity to respond.
The court subsequently ordered the IGP, the police and the AGF to explain within 72 hours why the other reliefs sought by Adeyemi should not be granted.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently adjourned the matter until September 9 for the respondents to show cause.
Adeyemi had sought six reliefs, including an order directing the respondents to release him from custody and grant him bail pending the determination of the suit.
He also sought an order allowing him access to medical practitioners of his choice, as well as an injunction restraining the police from interrogating him or obtaining any statement from him without his lawyer being present.
Meanwhile, relief six in his ex parte application sought “An Order that, for so long as the Applicant remains in custody, the Respondents do permit the Applicant unimpeded access to legal practitioners of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”
The court granted the relief seeking access to legal counsel, directing that Adeyemi be allowed to meet his lawyers at reasonable hours while in custody.
Adeyemi was arrested in in July after the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over his failure to appear for arraignment.
He is facing an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation over his claim to be the Director-General of the PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has disowned as “fake”.