Court Rejects Bail Request From Alleged Fake Presidential Agency DG

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has declined to entertain an oral bail application by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is facing a 22-count charge of forgery, impersonation and fraud over an alleged non-existent presidential investment agency.

Justice Halilu Yusuf, sitting in Maitama, directed Adeyemi’s lawyer, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, to file a formal written application after the defence counsel told the court that his client had spent more than 155 days in detention and that his health had deteriorated.

Adeyemi was arraigned on Thursday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations that he forged government documents and posed as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all 22 counts read to him in open court.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Fatima Bardi, urged the court to fix a date for trial.

However, Angulu made an oral application for his client’s release on bail pending the determination of the case, citing his prolonged detention and deteriorating health.

Justice Yusuf declined to entertain the application in its oral form and instructed the defence to submit a written application for consideration.

The court subsequently adjourned the case until November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible hearing of the bail application.

The ICPC alleged that Adeyemi used forged documents purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to claim he had been appointed Director-General of the PFIPC.

According to the commission, the defendant allegedly used the documents to occupy government office facilities at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, despite the agency allegedly not existing.

The prosecution further alleged that Adeyemi obtained more than ₦27 billion to establish and operate the purported agency, alongside another ₦3.8 billion allegedly sought for personnel costs.

Other allegations included forging documents addressed to the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation, as well as submitting forged documents to the National Information Technology Development Agency to obtain a domain name for the purported council.

The defendant was also accused of offering ₦210,000 to an official in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to facilitate the allocation of office space, and ₦300,000 to another government official to facilitate the release of two official sports utility vehicles.

In another count, the ICPC alleged that Adeyemi collected ₦20 million from Oyekunle Gbenga, Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, under the pretext of a project facilitation loan linked to a purported ₦2.8 billion contract.

The commission said the alleged offences were committed between 2024 and 2026.

The arraignment follows the withdrawal of an earlier eight-count charge filed against Adeyemi by the Nigeria Police Force. The Federal High Court in Abuja struck out that charge on October 12 after the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation withdrew it.