The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has struck out a three-count forgery charge instituted against senior advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, after the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) formally withdrew the case.
The charge was originally filed on January 16 by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which accused the prominent lawyer of presenting forged documents in relation to a property dispute.
Ten days later, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation assumed control of the prosecution.
At an earlier hearing, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the AGF, had assured the court that the matter would be pursued diligently and in strict compliance with due process. However, when the case came up on Tuesday for Ozekhome’s arraignment, Oyedepo instead moved an application seeking to discontinue the proceedings.
He informed the court that the AGF’s office required additional time to review and harmonise issues arising from the case, particularly as they involved multiple investigative agencies. According to him, such a review would ensure that the prosecution’s position was properly consolidated.
Following the application, the presiding judge, Peter Kekemeke, struck out the charge.
The allegations against Ozekhome stemmed from proceedings before the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), where he was said to have presented forged documents - including a Nigerian international passport - in support of his claim to a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred in August 2021 in the Maitama district of Abuja.
The London property dispute was filed under case number REF/2023/0155 at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the United Kingdom. The matter involved competing claims between Ozekhome and a claimant identified as “Ms Tali Shani.”
Ozekhome maintained that he received the property as a gift in 2021 from “Mr Tali Shani.” During the tribunal proceedings, a witness bearing that name testified in his favour, claiming he had held ownership of the property since 1993 and had subsequently appointed the late Jeremiah Useni - a retired lieutenant-general - as property manager. He described Useni as a close associate and business partner.
Conversely, witnesses for “Ms Tali Shani” tendered several documents, including an obituary notice, National Identification Number card, ECOWAS passport and phone records, in an attempt to establish her ownership.
The tribunal, however, ruled that the documents presented in support of “Ms Tali Shani” were fabricated. It further held that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed and concluded that the real owner of the property, operating under an assumed identity, was the late Useni.
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