ICPC Expands Charges Against Alleged Fake PFIPC Director-General, Four Others

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a fresh 36-count amended charge against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged Director-General of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), and four other defendants.

The amended charges, which increased the previous 22 counts, were presented before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday.

The prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, informed the court that the additional defendants were Aminu Abdullahi, Ogaba Harry, Florence Omameh and Patricia Akhigbe.

The case was initially scheduled for the hearing of Adeyemi’s bail application. However, proceedings could not continue because Omameh, the fourth defendant, was absent from court due to ill health.

Tahir told the court that she was receiving medical treatment in Abuja and requested a short adjournment to enable her to recover and appear for the arraignment.

He argued that all defendants were required to be present before the court could proceed with the taking of their pleas.

Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, did not oppose the amended charges or the request for an adjournment but drew the court’s attention to his client’s prolonged detention.

Justice Halilu Yusuf adjourned the matter until November 18 for the arraignment of all the defendants.

The judge also ordered that Adeyemi be returned to the Kuje Correctional Centre, while the other defendants were to remain in ICPC custody.

The case concerns allegations that Adeyemi established a fictitious government agency and presented himself as its director-general using forged official documents.

Investigators alleged that he forged appointment letters and other government records to give the purported council official recognition and secure access to government facilities and resources.

The allegations also include attempts to obtain billions of naira in public funds for the agency and alleged payments to public officers to facilitate access to government offices and official vehicles.

Adeyemi has previously pleaded not guilty to the 22-count charge. The fresh charges have not yet been answered by the defendants.