Forgery, N27bn Fraud Allegations: ICPC Files 22 Fresh Charges Against PFIPC’s Adeyemi

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has brought fresh legal proceedings against Adeniyi Adeyemi, arraigning him on 22 counts of alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences at an FCT High Court in Abuja on Thursday.

Adeyemi is accused of falsely presenting himself as the director-general of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation the commission alleges he portrayed as an established government institution.

He pleaded not guilty to the 22 charges.

The latest prosecution followed the termination of an earlier case involving Adeyemi at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court struck out the previous eight-count charge on October 12 after the Federal Government requested that the proceedings be discontinued following a review by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, had explained that the review showed that the alleged offences were within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court, not the Federal High Court where the police originally filed the charges.

Consequently, the prosecution instituted a fresh 22-count case before the FCT High Court.

ICPC details alleged forged documents, financial dealings

According to the new charge, Adeyemi allegedly forged an appointment letter dated March 8, 2024, purportedly bearing the signature of Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, which named him as PFIPC director-general.

The commission claimed that he used the alleged forged documents to give the impression that the council was an officially recognised government agency and to gain access to government facilities and administrative processes.

Among the allegations are the purported forgery of an executive order establishing the council and a legislative instrument carrying the titles of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and PFIPC.

The ICPC also accused him of forging a letter to the Accountant-General of the Federation to secure recognition for the purported agency within the government’s financial reporting framework.

In addition, the commission alleged that documents were forged and submitted to the National Information Technology Development Agency in an attempt to obtain a domain name for the council.

Another major allegation is that Adeyemi used forged documents presented to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy to seek over N27 billion for the establishment of the purported agency, alongside N3.8 billion earmarked for personnel costs.

The charge also contains allegations of payments to two government officials.

The ICPC alleged that Adeyemi gave N210,000 to Aminu Abdullahi, an assistant chief technical officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to secure office accommodation without proper authorisation.

He was further accused of giving N300,000 to Ogaba Harry, an official in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, to facilitate the release of a Prado SUV and a Land Cruiser.

In another count, the commission alleged that Adeyemi obtained N20 million from Oyekunle Gbenga, managing director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, under the pretence that it was a project facilitation loan connected to a purported N2.8 billion contract for furnishing and renovating the official residence of the PFIPC director-general.

The alleged offences reportedly took place between 2024 and 2026 and attract penalties under applicable 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 accusations. Separately, he has alleged that Gbajabiamila received N400 million through a proxy in connection with the appointment letter. That allegation remains an unproven claim made by Adeyemi and is not established by the charges before the court.

Judge asks Adeyemi’s lawyer to file formal bail request

At Thursday’s proceedings, ICPC lawyer Fatima Bardi requested that the court set a date for the commencement of the trial after the defendant entered his plea.

Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ibrahim Angulu, subsequently made an oral application for bail.

But the presiding judge, Halilu Yusuf, instructed the defence to file a formal written application before the court could consider the request.

Angulu accepted the directive but appealed for an expedited hearing, arguing that his client had been in detention for an extended period and was experiencing health challenges.

He informed the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and had a medical report from the police clinic where he was treated.

The judge adjourned the matter until November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible hearing of the bail application.

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