FG files criminal charges against Mike Ozekhome over alleged forgery

The Federal Government has filed a criminal charge against Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over alleged forgery and use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in the United Kingdom.

The three-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed on Friday before a Federal High Court in Abuja by prosecutors from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

The charge was signed by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of ICPC’s high-profile prosecution unit, and Ngozi Onwuka, an assistant chief legal officer.

Ozekhome is accused of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian international 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.

According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences were committed in August 2021, partly in London and partly in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

The prosecution alleged that the senior advocate knowingly received the London property as a gift from one Shani Tali, an act the government claimed constituted a felony under Nigerian law.

In one of the counts, Ozekhome is accused of allegedly making a false Nigerian passport bearing the name Shani Tali, with the intent to use it to support his ownership claim over the London property.

He is also accused of dishonestly presenting the said passport as genuine, despite allegedly knowing that the document was forged, with the aim of deceiving a public authority.

The offences border on giving false information, forgery, and use of forged documents, contrary to provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the Penal Code Laws of the Federal Capital Territory.

The Federal Government said it would call several witnesses during the trial, including ICPC investigators and officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).

Documents listed to be tendered as exhibits include the judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence from relevant authorities, and passport records relating to Shani Tali.

No trial date has been fixed.

The charge is linked to a long-running controversy surrounding ownership of the London property, which also involved Jeremiah Useni, a retired lieutenant-general who is now deceased.

The dispute was heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), Land Registration, United Kingdom, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani named as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.

During the proceedings, Ozekhome maintained that he received the property as a gift from Mr Tali Shani in 2021, while lawyers representing Ms Tali Shani insisted 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 had transferred it to Ozekhome. He also described Useni as his property manager and business associate.

However, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani tendered several documents, including an obituary, NIN card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records, to support their claim.

In its judgment, the tribunal ruled that all documents presented by Ms Tali Shani’s side were fake. It further held that neither Mr nor Ms Tali Shani existed, concluding that the property was owned by Jeremiah Useni, who had used a false identity.