ICPC files amended charge against Adeyemi, adds four civil servants

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed amended charges against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the purported director general of the non-existent Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). The prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, told the court that ICPC expanded the previous 22 counts to 36.

Tahir said that the four suspects are Aminu Abdullahi, Ogaba Harry, Florence Omameh and Patricia Akhigbe and included in the new charge. The case was originally filed by the Nigerian police. Monday’s proceedings, which originally slated for hearing of Adeyemi’s bail application, was halted because of the charge amendment, requiring all defendants, including Adeyemi, to enter their pleas.

However, the plea taking could not proceed because the fourth defendant, Omameh, was absent from court on health grounds. The rest of the defendants were in court. ”Her unavailability in court has constrained the prosecution from proceeding with the arraignment, this being a criminal charge,” Tahir said. He relied on Section 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) for his application.

Tahir argued that an accused person has to be present in court throughout the trial, “subject to the exception stated therein.” He, therefore, urged the court for a short adjournment to allow the fourth defendant time to recover and enter her plea. Adeyemi’s counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not object to the amended charge or adjournment. However, he reminded the court of Adeyemi’s prolonged detention.

Meanwhile, Justice Yusuf Halilu adjourned until Nov. 18 for the arraignment of the suspects. He, however, ordered that Adeyemi should be taken back to Kuje Correctional Facility and the other defendants to return to the ICPC detention facility. (NAN)