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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Adeniyi Adeyemi on 22 fresh counts bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences over his purported role as director-general of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Adeyemi, who appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The fresh arraignment followed the striking out of an earlier eight-count charge against him by the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 12, after the Federal Government sought to discontinue the proceedings.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court that a review by the Attorney-General of the Federation established that the alleged offences fell within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, rather than the Federal High Court, where the initial charges were filed.
In the new charges, the ICPC accused Adeyemi of forging a letter dated March 8, 2024, purportedly signed by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, appointing him director-general of the PFIPC.
The commission alleged that Adeyemi used forged documents to portray the purported council as a legitimate government institution and gain access to government facilities and official processes.
Other counts accuse him of forging an executive order purportedly establishing the council, as well as a legislative instrument bearing the names of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC.
The ICPC also alleged that Adeyemi forged a document addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation to seek approval for the purported agency to operate within the Federal Government’s financial reporting structure.
Another allegation concerns documents purportedly submitted to the National Information Technology Development Agency to obtain a domain name for the council.
The commission further accused Adeyemi of presenting forged documents to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy to seek more than ₦27 billion for the establishment of the purported agency and an additional ₦3.8 billion for personnel costs.
In separate counts, the ICPC alleged that Adeyemi gave ₦210,000 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.
He was also accused of giving ₦300,000 to Ogaba Harry, an officer in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, to facilitate the release of a Prado sport utility vehicle and a Land Cruiser.
The commission further alleged that Adeyemi obtained ₦20 million from Oyekunle Gbenga, managing director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, under the guise of a project facilitation loan for a purported ₦2.8 billion contract to furnish and renovate the official residence of the PFIPC director-general.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2024 and 2026 and are punishable under relevant 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 the allegations. He has separately alleged that Gbajabiamila received ₦400 million through a proxy in connection with the appointment letter. That allegation remains Adeyemi’s claim and should not be treated as an established fact.
After Adeyemi entered his plea, ICPC counsel, Fatima Bardi, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.
However, defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, made an oral application for bail, prompting the presiding judge, Halilu Yusuf, to direct him to file a formal written application.
Angulu agreed to comply but urged the court to hear the application promptly, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health concerns.
The defence lawyer told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and possessed a medical report from the police clinic where he had received treatment.
The judge adjourned the case until November 9 for trial and possible consideration of the bail application.
