By Vivian Okejeme
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday amended the charges against the self-acclaimed Director of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), increasing the counts from 22 to 36.
The anti-corruption agency, which is prosecuting Adeyemi over alleged forgery and impersonation, also joined four additional civil servants — Patricia Akhigbe, Florence Omameh, Aminu Abdullahi and Ogaba Harry — as defendants in the case.
The four civil servants are reportedly attached to the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
When the matter was called, prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, informed the court that the commission had filed an amended charge.
The case was initially scheduled for the hearing of the bail application. However, the arraignment of the five defendants could not proceed because Omameh was absent on health grounds.
Tahir told the court that the other defendants were present and requested a short adjournment to enable her to appear.
Justice Halilu Yusuf granted the request and adjourned the case until November 18 for arraignment.
Adeyemi was initially arraigned in October on a 22-count charge bordering on alleged forgery and impersonation. The case followed the dismissal of an earlier eight-count charge by the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 12, after the Federal Government applied to discontinue the proceedings following a review by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Justice Mohammed Umar subsequently struck out the charges. Adeyemi had earlier pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on September 30.
The ICPC alleged that Adeyemi operated the PFIPC as a government institution despite the organisation having no legal backing or presidential approval.
The organisation reportedly occupied an office at the Federal Secretariat, recruited staff and received an allocation in the 2026 national budget.
Adeyemi had also alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, received N400 million through a proxy in connection with his appointment letter. However, the allegation has not been established in court.
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