ICPC re-arraigns PFIPC director-general Adeyemi on 22 counts of alleged forgery, impersonation

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday re-arraigned Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), on 22 counts of alleged forgery and impersonation before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

The fresh arraignment came after a Federal High Court in Abuja struck out an earlier eight-count charge against Adeyemi on 12 October.

The earlier charge was withdrawn after the Federal Government sought to discontinue the proceedings following a review by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Rotimi Oyedepo, director of public prosecutions of the federation, had told the court that the review established that the alleged offences fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, rather than the Federal High Court, where the police initially filed the charge.

The prosecution subsequently confirmed that a fresh charge had been filed before the FCT High Court.

THE ALLEGED OFFENCES

In the new charge, the ICPC accused Adeyemi of forging a letter dated 8 March 2024, purportedly signed by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president, appointing him director-general of the PFIPC.

The commission alleged that Adeyemi relied on forged documents to portray the non-existent agency as a legitimate government institution and gain access to government facilities and processes.

The charges also include allegations that he forged an executive order purportedly establishing the agency, as well as a legislative instrument bearing the title of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and PFIPC.

The ICPC further accused him of forging a document addressed to the accountant-general of the federation, seeking approval for the agency to operate within the government’s financial reporting structure.

Another allegation involves documents purportedly submitted to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to secure a domain name for the agency.

The commission also alleged that Adeyemi obtained more than N27 billion for the establishment of the purported agency and N3.8 billion for personnel costs by presenting forged documents to the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy.

He was further accused of giving N210,000 to Aminu Abdullahi, an assistant chief technical officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to facilitate the allocation of office space without official authorisation.

The charge also alleges that he paid N300,000 to Ogaba Harry, an officer in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, to facilitate the release of two official vehicles — a Prado sport utility vehicle and a Land Cruiser.

In another count, the commission accused Adeyemi of obtaining N20 million from Oyekunle Gbenga, managing director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, under the pretence of a project facilitation loan for a purported N2.8 billion contract to furnish and renovate the official residence of the PFIPC director-general.

The alleged offences, said to have occurred between 2024 and 2026, are punishable under provisions of the Penal Code, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.

Adeyemi has denied all the allegations, while claiming that Gbajabiamila collected N400 million through a proxy for his appointment letter to the fictitious agency.

BAIL APPLICATION

Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all 22 counts, after which Fatima Bardi, counsel to the ICPC, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

Ibrahim Angulu, Adeyemi’s counsel, made an oral application for bail.

However, the presiding judge, Halilu Yusuf, directed him to submit a written application.

Angulu accepted the directive but requested an early hearing date, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health concerns.

He told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and had a medical report from the police clinic where he received treatment.

The judge adjourned the case until 9 November for trial and possible hearing of the bail application.