The Federal Government has initiated criminal proceedings against Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), concerning allegations of forgery and the use of fraudulent documents linked to a contentious property dispute in the United Kingdom.
Ozekhome, who is 68 years old, faces prosecution led by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). A document obtained by Channels Television on Sunday details the charges filed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, with the involvement of key officials including ICPC’s Head of High Profile Prosecution Department, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, and Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Ngozi Onwuka, under the direction of Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The senior lawyer is accused of knowingly submitting forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, to bolster his claim of ownership for a property located at “79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX” during legal proceedings at the London First-Tier Tribunal. The alleged infractions reportedly occurred in August 2021 in the Maitama area of Abuja, falling within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
The charges encompass three key counts related to providing false information, utilizing forged documents, and attempting to mislead a public authority.
The Charges
The first count alleges that in August 2021, Ozekhome received House 79 Randall Avenue in London, purportedly transferred to him by one Shani Tali, a transaction deemed a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The second count accuses Ozekhome of “making a false document,” specifically a Nigerian passport numbered A07535463 in the name of Mr. Shani Tali, intending to utilize it to substantiate his claim to the London property. This count falls under the Penal Code of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the third count, Ozekhome is charged with “dishonestly” using the allegedly forged passport as if it were genuine to support his ownership claim, despite having reason to believe the document was not authentic.
Details of the Charges
- Count One: Accuses Ozekhome of knowingly receiving the property from Shani Tali, constituting a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
- Count Two: Charges him with creating a false Nigerian passport to support his claim to the disputed property.
- Count Three: Involves the dishonest use of this false passport to assert property ownership.
As of now, Ozekhome has not publicly commented on these new charges.
Witnesses and Evidence
The Federal Government has indicated it will call several witnesses for the trial, including investigators and a representative from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Exhibits planned for submission include the judgment from the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, letters from pertinent authorities, and passport data regarding Shani Tali. A trial date has not yet been established.
Ongoing Property Dispute
This case is part of a broader property dispute involving Ozekhome and the late Jeremiah Useni. The matter was filed with the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the UK, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.
Ozekhome claims he received the property as a gift from Mr. Tali Shani in 2021, while legal representatives for Ms. Shani assert she is the rightful owner. A witness, known as Mr. Tali Shani, testified in favor of Ozekhome, claiming he had “Powers of Attorney” over the property and had transferred it to him.
However, documents submitted by witnesses for Ms. Tali Shani, including various identification forms, were found to be fraudulent by the tribunal, which ultimately ruled that neither “Mr.” nor “Ms.” Tali Shani existed, confirming Useni as the legitimate owner.
This complex legal scenario continues to evolve, raising important questions about ethics and the integrity of legal practices in Nigeria. Would you like to explore any specific aspects of this case further?
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