The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over his alleged involvement in a disputed property case in the United Kingdom.
Recall that a UK tribunal indicted Ozekhome for allegedly relying on fraudulent documents to claim ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX. The property was later traced to the late General Jeremiah Useni of Plateau State.
According to the tribunal, all evidence presented by the Nigerian lawyer was struck out on grounds of alleged sharp practices, reportedly carried out in collaboration with a witness identified as Tali Shani.
Amid public criticism that the Federal Government had failed to investigate the allegations, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Friday filed a three-count charge against Ozekhome at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Head of the High-Profile Prosecution Department of the ICPC, alongside Ngozi Onwuka, Assistant Chief Legal Officer, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The charges border on giving false information, use of forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.
In Count One, Ozekhome is accused of directly receiving the London property in August 2021 from Tali Shani, an act the prosecution alleges he knew constituted a felony, contrary to provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Count Two alleges that the SAN, while practising in Abuja, made a false Nigerian passport bearing the name of Tali Shani, with the intent to support a fraudulent claim of ownership of the UK property, contrary to sections of the Penal Code applicable in the FCT.
In Count Three, Ozekhome is accused of dishonestly using the allegedly forged passport as a genuine document to support the property claim, despite having reason to believe it was false.
A date for the commencement of trial has yet to be fixed by the court.
