The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has assumed control of the criminal case involving Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ozwkhome is facing allegations of forgery and the use of false documents connected to a disputed property in the United Kingdom.
The case was originally instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, which on January 16 filed a three-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026 against Ozekhome.
The charges relate to alleged acts of forgery and presentation of false documents in connection with ownership claims over a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Ozekhome was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday before a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama. However, proceedings could not commence after Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, announced to the court that the AGF had taken over the prosecution of the matter in line with constitutional powers.
Oyedepo told the court that the case would be handled with the highest standard of efficiency, effectiveness, diligence, and compliance with due process of law, adding that the AGF required additional time to properly review the case file before proceeding. Counsel to the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, did not oppose the takeover.
Following this development, the presiding judge, Peter Kekemeke, adjourned the matter to February 24 for the arraignment of the defendant.
According to the charges, Ozekhome is accused of knowingly submitting forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to support his claim of ownership during proceedings before the London First-Tier Tribunal. The alleged offences were said to have occurred around August 2021 in Maitama, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case has its roots in a property dispute filed before the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration under reference number REF/2023/0155. The dispute involved competing claims by Ozekhome and a party identified as Ms Tali Shani, with the late retired Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni also linked to the matter.
Ozekhome had claimed that he received the London property as a gift from a person identified as Mr Tali Shani in 2021. A witness bearing the same name testified in his favour, stating that he had Powers of Attorney over the property and had transferred ownership to Ozekhome.
He also claimed to have owned the property since 1993 and described Useni as an elder friend and business partner who managed it on his behalf.
In contrast, lawyers representing Ms Tali Shani presented several documents, including identity cards, travel documents, and other personal records, to establish ownership of the property. However, the tribunal ruled that all documents tendered by her witnesses were fake.
In its final decision, the tribunal dismissed all claims by both parties, stating that neither Mr nor Ms Tali Shani existed. The tribunal further held that the true owner of the property, operating under a false identity, was Jeremiah Useni.
