The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation to grant the detained self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council PFIPC, Adeniyi Adeyemi, access to his lawyers.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued the order on Thursday while ruling on a fundamental rights suit filed on Adeyemi’s behalf.
The judge, however, declined to grant Adeyemi’s requests for his release, bail and access to medical treatment without first hearing from the respondents.
Justice Egwuatu directed the IGP, the police and the AGF to show cause within 72 hours why the remaining reliefs sought by Adeyemi should not be granted.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until September 9 for the respondents to show cause.
Adeyemi had sought six reliefs, including an order directing the respondents to release him from custody and grant him bail pending the determination of the suit.
He also sought permission to access medical practitioners of his choice, as well as an injunction restraining the police from interrogating him or obtaining a statement from him without his lawyer present.
One of the reliefs sought in his ex parte application specifically asked the court to ensure that, for as long as he remained in custody, he was allowed “unimpeded access to legal practitioners of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”
Justice Egwuatu granted the relief, directing that Adeyemi be allowed to meet with his lawyers at reasonable hours while in custody.
The court is expected to hear the respondents’ explanations on the remaining reliefs when the matter resumes on September 9.
