Defective police charges have prompted the Federal Government to withdraw its eight-count criminal case against Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly posed as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Following a review by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the Abuja Federal High Court on Monday that loopholes in the original filing by the Inspector-General of Police required a fresh approach.
Consequently, Justice Mohammed Umar struck out the initial suit upon the prosecution’s request to discontinue proceedings.
The legal battle is far from over, however, as the government has already instituted fresh charges against Adeyemi before the FCT High Court, setting the stage for a new arraignment.
According to Oyedepo, the review established that the alleged forgery offences fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.
He informed the judge that fresh charges had already been filed at the appropriate court and that Adeyemi would be arraigned again without delay.
The prosecution consequently requested that the existing charges be struck out to allow the fresh proceedings to commence.
Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, raised no objection to the application.
Justice Umar subsequently granted the request and struck out the eight-count charge.
Adeyemi was standing trial alongside two other suspects whose whereabouts remain unknown over allegations of conspiracy and forgery.
The accused had allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
The court’s decision terminates the proceedings before the Federal High Court but does not bring the Federal Government’s prosecution of Adeyemi to an end.
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