Federal High Court terminates eight-count case against Adeniyi Adeyemi after the Attorney-General identifies defects in the initial charge, with prosecution set to begin afresh before the FCT High Court.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the eight-count criminal charge filed by the Federal Government against Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is accused of posing as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar struck out the case on Monday following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who informed the court that the government had reviewed the case and decided to pursue the allegations before another court.

Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had examined the case file and discovered defects in the original charge.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offences involving documents said to have been forged by Adeyemi fell within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He explained that a fresh charge had already been filed before the FCT High Court, adding that the defendant would be arraigned again without delay.

The prosecution's application was not opposed by Adeyemi's counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, paving the way for Justice Umar to strike out the existing charge.

The decision effectively brings the proceedings before the Federal High Court to an end, while allowing the prosecution to pursue the allegations through the fresh case filed at the FCT High Court.

Adeyemi, 38, had been standing trial alongside two other defendants, identified as Femi and Anu, who are reportedly at large.

The case involved allegations of conspiracy and forgery linked to the documents at the centre of the prosecution's case.

The fresh proceedings are expected to provide the next stage in the legal process, as the government seeks to prosecute the allegations before the court it considers to have the appropriate jurisdiction.

Adeyemi's guilt has not been established, and the allegations remain subject to determination by a competent court.