The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, over alleged forgery and the use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in the United Kingdom.
Ozekhome, 68, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), according to court documents obtained by The Telegraph on Sunday.
The three-count charge was filed on Friday before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja by the ICPC’s Head of the High Profile Prosecution Department, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, and Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Ngozi Onwuka, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The prosecution alleges that Ozekhome knowingly presented forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, to support a claim of ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, during proceedings before the UK First-tier Tribunal.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences were committed sometime in August 2021 in Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court. The charges border on giving false information, making and using forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.
In the first count, the Federal Government alleges that in August 2021, Ozekhome directly received the London property from one Mr Shani Tali, knowing that the transaction constituted a felony, contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The second count accuses the senior lawyer of making a false document, specifically, a Nigerian passport bearing number A07535463 in the name of Mr Shani Tali, with the intent to support a claim of ownership of the London property. This offence is said to be contrary to Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the third count, Ozekhome is accused of dishonestly using the allegedly forged passport as genuine during the property dispute, despite having reason to believe it was false, an offence contrary to Section 366 of the Penal Code.
Ozekhome has yet to make an official statement regarding the charges.
The Federal Government has listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including ICPC investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Documents to be tendered as exhibits include the judgment of the UK First-tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence, and passport records relating to Shani Tali. A trial date has not yet been fixed.
Background: The property dispute
The disputed property case involved Ozekhome and the late former minister, Jeremiah Useni.
The matter was heard by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), Land Registration, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani listed as the applicant and Ozekhome named as the respondent.
The property was claimed by both “Ms Tali Shani” and Ozekhome. Ozekhome maintained that he received the house as a gift from “Mr Tali Shani” in 2021, while lawyers representing “Ms Tali Shani” argued that she was the rightful owner.
During the proceedings, a witness identified as “Mr Tali Shani” testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming he held a power of attorney over the property and had transferred ownership to him. He further asserted that he had owned the property since 1993 and later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as an “elder friend and business partner.”
Conversely, witnesses for “Ms Tali Shani” tendered several documents, including an obituary notice, National Identification Number (NIN) card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records, to support her claim.
However, the tribunal ruled that all documents presented on behalf of “Ms Tali Shani” were fake. It ultimately dismissed all claims, finding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed and declaring Useni as the true owner of the property.
