London Property: AGF Takes Over Ozekhome’s Case

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has applied to take over the three-count criminal charge against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mike Ozekhome before the FCT High Court.

The  Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had filed the charges against Ozekhome on allegations of receiving property through corrupt means and using forged documents.

When the matter began on Monday, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), announced appearance for the AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and said they were taking over the prosecution of the matter under the constitutional powers of Section 174 in collaboration with the ICPC for efficiency and highest standards.

Oyedepo stated that the decision to retrieve the case file from the ICPC was in the public interest, confidence, fairness and competence of the trial.

After the application, Dr Osuebeni Akpomosingha Akpos announced his appearance for the ICPC while Kanu Agabi (SAN) said he is for Ozekhome.

Akpos did not object to the takeover.

Consequently, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned the matter to February 24 for hearing.

The ICPC alleged that Ozekhome, sometime in August 2021, directly received House 79 Randall Avenue, London, claimed to have been purchased by former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, but purportedly given to him by one Shani Tali in a transaction claimed to constitute a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The second count accuses the senior lawyer of “making a false document,” 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.

In the third count, Mr Ozekhome is accused of “dishonestly” using the allegedly false passport as genuine to support the property ownership claim when he had reason to believe the document was false.