The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over allegations of forgery and the use of false documents in connection with a disputed property case in the United Kingdom.
Ozekhome, 68, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), according to court documents obtained on Sunday. The three-count charge was filed on Friday before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.
The charges were instituted by the ICPC’s Head of High Profile Prosecution, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, and Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Ngozi Onwuka, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
Allegations
According to the charge sheet, the senior lawyer is accused of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, to support his claim of ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, during proceedings before the London First-Tier Tribunal.
The alleged offences were said to have been committed in August 2021, partly in London and partly in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
The charges border on giving false information, making and using forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.
Details of the Charges
- Count One alleges that Ozekhome knowingly received the London property from one Shani Tali, an act the ICPC claims constitutes a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
- Count Two accuses him of making a false document—specifically a Nigerian passport bearing number A07535463 in the name of Mr Shani Tali—with the intent to use it to support the ownership claim. This charge is brought under the Penal Code of the FCT.
- Count Three alleges that Ozekhome dishonestly used the said passport as genuine, despite having reason to believe it was false, to support his claim before the tribunal.
Witnesses and Evidence
The Federal Government has listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including ICPC investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
Documents to be tendered as exhibits include:
- The judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal
- Extra-judicial statements
- Correspondence from relevant authorities
- Passport and identity records relating to Shani Tali
The case is yet to be assigned a trial date.
Background: UK Property Dispute
The disputed property case was filed before the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), Land Registration, UK, under case number REF/2023/0155. The parties named were Tali Shani as applicant and Mike Ozekhome as respondent. The late Jeremiah Useni was also linked to the dispute.
Ozekhome had claimed he received the property as a gift from Mr Tali Shani in 2021. However, lawyers representing Ms Tali Shani argued she was the rightful owner.
A witness identified as Mr Tali Shani testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming ownership of the property since 1993 and stating that he transferred it to Ozekhome. He also described Useni as an “elder friend and business partner” who acted as a property manager.
Conversely, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani tendered several documents, including an obituary, NIN card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records, to establish ownership.
In its ruling, the tribunal held that all documents presented for Ms Tali Shani were fake and ultimately dismissed all claims, ruling that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed and that the true owner of the property was Jeremiah Useni.
Awaiting Response
As of the time of filing this report, Chief Mike Ozekhome has not issued an official response to the charges.
