FG Files Criminal Charges Against Ozekhome Over UK Property Saga

The Federal Government has filed charges against Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over his involvement in a disputed property case in the United Kingdom.

Daily Trust had reported how a UK tribunal indicted Ozekhome for allegedly using fraudulent documents to claim ownership of the property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.

It was later traced to the late General Jeremiah Useni from Plateau State.

The tribunal had struck out all the evidence presented by the Nigerian lawyer, alleging sharp practices in collaboration with a witness identified as Tali Shani.

The Federal Government had been accused of failing to probe the allegations against Ozekhome.

But on Friday, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed a 3-count charge against the lawyer at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The charge marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026 was filed by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of High Profile Prosecution Department at the agency, and Ngozi Onwuka, Assistant Chief Legal Officer, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Below are the charges which border on giving false information, use of forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.

COUNT ONE: That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (M) ’68yrs’ of No. 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August, 2021 or thereabout at a place outside Nigeria i.e. London, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly received house 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX purportedly given to you by one Mr Shani Tali, an act you knew constitutes a felony and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 13 and punishable under section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, Act, 2000.

COUNT TWO: That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (M) ’68yrs’ of No. 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while being a legal practitioner and senior advocate of Nigeria did make a false document, to wit: Nigeria passport A07535463 bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali with intent to use same to support claim of ownership of property known and described as 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX with intent to commit fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 and punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

COUNT THREE: That you Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN (M) ’68yrs’ of No. 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, while being a legal practitioner and senior advocate of Nigeria dishonestly used as genuine a false Nigeria passport A07535463 bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali to support claim of ownership of property known and described a s 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX when you had reason to believe that the said document was false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

A date is yet to be assigned for trial.

(Daily Trust)