ICPC Adds Four Civil Servants To Adeyemi’s Case

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has amended the charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the director-general of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The anti-corruption agency has increased the charges from 22 to 36 counts and added four civil servants as defendants in the case.

The newly listed defendants are Aminu Abdullahi, Ogaba Harry, Florence Omameh and Patricia Akhigbe. The amended charge was presented before the court by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The case was initially instituted by the Nigerian Police before it was taken over by the ICPC.

At the court sitting on Monday, November 9, proceedings were expected to focus on Adeyemi’s bail application. However, the hearing could not continue as planned following the filing of the amended charges.

The development meant that all the defendants, including Adeyemi, would have to appear before the court to take their pleas on the new charges.

However, the arraignment was put on hold because the fourth defendant, Florence Omameh, was absent from court due to health reasons. The other defendants were present.

Tahir informed the court that Omameh’s absence had prevented the prosecution from proceeding with the arraignment, explaining that her presence was required for the criminal proceedings to continue.

The prosecution counsel referred to Section 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which provides for the presence of an accused person during court proceedings, subject to certain exceptions.

He subsequently asked the court to grant a short adjournment to enable Omameh to recover and appear for the arraignment.

Counsel to Adeyemi, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the amended charges or the request for an adjournment. However, he drew the court’s attention to the length of time his client had spent in detention.

After listening to the arguments from both sides, Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned the matter until November 18 for the arraignment of the defendants.

The judge also directed that Adeyemi be returned to the Kuje Correctional Facility, while the other defendants were ordered to return to the ICPC detention facility pending the next court sitting.