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 posing as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar struck out the case on Monday following an application by the Federal Government to terminate the proceedings and arraign Adeyemi afresh before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, moved the application on behalf of the government.
Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, had reviewed the case file and the charge initially filed by the Inspector-General of Police and identified legal gaps requiring a fresh approach to the prosecution.
He explained that the allegations involving documents purportedly forged by Adeyemi fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
The prosecution informed the court that a new charge had already been filed before the FCT High Court, where the defendant would be arraigned again.
Oyedepo consequently urged the court to strike out the existing charge to allow the fresh proceedings to commence.
Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application. Justice Umar subsequently struck out the charge.
Adeyemi, 38, had been standing trial alongside two other defendants identified only as Femi and Anu, whose surnames were not provided and who were reportedly at large.
The defendants faced allegations bordering on conspiracy and forgery in a case registered as FHC/ABJ/CR/25/2025.
The decision to strike out the charge followed the prosecution’s request to discontinue the proceedings before the Federal High Court and pursue the case before another court with the appropriate jurisdiction.
The development does not amount to an acquittal on the allegations. The Federal Government has indicated its intention to proceed with a fresh arraignment before the FCT High Court.
