KEY POINTS
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Adeyemi denies 22 charges involving alleged N30.8bn fraud.
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ICPC alleges forgery, impersonation and unauthorised payments.
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Court adjourns trial and possible bail hearing to November 9.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has re-arraigned Adeniyi Adeyemi, the purported Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, on 22 charges bordering on forgery, impersonation and fraud involving an alleged N30.8bn government funding request.
Adeyemi appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, where he pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The commission accused him of using forged government documents to present a non-existent council as a legitimate federal agency and obtain official recognition, office accommodation, government vehicles and access to public funds.
Alleged N30.8bn funding request
According to the amended charges, Adeyemi allegedly requested more than N27bn as a take-off grant for the purported council, alongside another N3.8bn for personnel expenses.
The prosecution alleged that he used documents bearing forged signatures and purportedly issued by senior government officials to support his claim that he had been appointed to head the council.
One of the charges concerns a letter dated March 8, 2024, with reference number SH/COS/209/A/3456. The document allegedly presented Adeyemi as the council’s Director-General and was purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The ICPC said the letter was prepared to appear authentic and enable Adeyemi to secure office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
Another alleged forged document was addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation and titled, “Request for approval of self-accounting status.” The prosecution said the document was intended to enable the purported council to operate within the government’s financial reporting system.
The commission also accused Adeyemi of forging correspondence to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency in an attempt to obtain a domain name for the organisation.
Alleged payments to secure government facilities
The amended charges further accused Adeyemi of offering money to public officers to obtain government facilities and official vehicles for the purported agency.
The prosecution alleged that he offered 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 proper authorisation.
He was also accused of offering N300,000 to Ogaba Harry, an official in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, to facilitate the release of two government vehicles: a Toyota Prado SUV and a Land Cruiser SUV.
The ICPC alleged that these payments formed part of efforts to establish the purported council’s presence and operations within government offices.
N20m loan linked to alleged N2.8bn contract
Another major allegation concerns N20m Adeyemi reportedly obtained from Oyekunle Gbenga, Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited.
According to the prosecution, Adeyemi collected the money under the description of a “project facilitation loan.”
The commission alleged that the payment was connected to a purported N2.8bn contract awarded by the fictitious council for the purchase of furniture and electronic equipment, as well as the renovation of the Director-General’s official residence.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred between 2024 and 2026. The prosecution maintained that the charges violated provisions of the Penal Code, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Defence seeks bail over detention and health concerns
Following Adeyemi’s plea, the prosecution counsel, Fatima Bardi, asked the court to schedule the commencement of trial so the commission could present its evidence.
However, his defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu (SAN), made an oral application for bail, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health condition.
Angulu told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and had obtained a medical report from the police clinic where he was receiving treatment.
Justice Halilu Yusuf directed the defence team to submit a formal bail application before the court could consider the request.
The judge adjourned the matter to November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible consideration of the bail application.
Case follows earlier arraignment and presidential directive
The latest arraignment followed the withdrawal of the earlier charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, on October 12. The charges were withdrawn for amendment and subsequent refiling before the FCT High Court.
Adeyemi had previously appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 30 over an eight-count charge involving allegations of forgery and impersonation.
The investigation reportedly began after Gbajabiamila petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services over the purported council and Adeyemi’s claim to be its Director-General.
Police investigations reportedly uncovered correspondence between the organisation and several ministries, departments and agencies. Investigators also traced 34 bank accounts allegedly connected to its operations, including nine opened in the names of purported government agencies.
In July, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the council’s activities. The Presidency maintained that the Federal Government had never established the organisation and that it had no legal basis to operate as a government agency.
The investigation was expected to examine the alleged use of forged documents, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the movement of funds and possible involvement of public officers or other individuals.
Adeyemi has denied the amended charges by pleading not guilty. The allegations have yet to be proved in court.
