The Federal Government has initiated criminal proceedings against Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, over allegations bordering on forgery and the use of false documents linked to a disputed property case in the United Kingdom.
Ozekhome, aged 68, is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, according to court documents obtained by Channels Television on Sunday.
The three-count charge was filed on Friday before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja by the ICPC’s Head of High Profile Prosecution Department, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, alongside Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Ngozi Onwuka. The charges were brought on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The senior lawyer is accused of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, to back his claim of ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, during proceedings at the London First-Tier Tribunal.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged offences were committed around August 2021 in the Maitama area of Abuja, which falls within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court. The prosecution outlined three counts relating to the provision of false information, the use of forged documents, and attempts to mislead a public authority.
The first count alleges that in August 2021, Ozekhome directly received House 79 Randall Avenue, London, purportedly transferred to him by one Shani Tali, in a transaction the ICPC claims amounted to a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In the second count, the senior advocate is accused of “making a false document,” namely a Nigerian passport bearing number A07535463 in the name of Mr Shani Tali, allegedly intended to support a claim of ownership of the London property. This charge is said to contravene provisions of the Penal Code applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.
The third count accuses Ozekhome of “dishonestly” presenting the allegedly forged passport as a genuine document to support the ownership claim, despite having reason to believe that the passport was false.
The charge sheet details the allegations as follows: “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.”
It further stated: “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 Tall 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.’”
The final count reads: “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 as ‘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.”
Ozekhome has not issued any official response to the charges as of the time of filing this report.
The Federal Government has listed multiple witnesses it plans to present during the trial, including investigators involved in the case and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service. Among the documents expected to be tendered as exhibits are the judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence, and passport records connected to Shani Tali. The court has not yet fixed a date for the commencement of trial.
The disputed property matter also involves the late Jeremiah Useni and was heard at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the United Kingdom under reference number REF/2023/0155. The case listed Tali Shani as the applicant, with Ozekhome named as the respondent.
Claims over the property were made by both ‘Ms Tali Shani’ and Ozekhome. The senior advocate had told the tribunal that he received the house as a gift from ‘Mr Tali Shani’ in 2021, while counsel representing ‘Ms Shani’ argued that she was the lawful owner.
A witness identified as ‘Mr Tali Shani’ testified in support of Ozekhome, asserting that he held “Powers of Attorney” over the property and had transferred ownership to the respondent. He claimed ownership dating back to 1993 and said he later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as an “elder friend and business partner”.
In contrast, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani tendered several documents, including an obituary notice, NIN card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records, to substantiate her ownership claim. However, the tribunal ruled that all the documents presented on her behalf were fake.
The tribunal ultimately dismissed all competing claims, concluding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed and that the true owner of the property was Useni.
What you should know
The case against Mike Ozekhome stems from a long-running dispute over a London property that ended with a UK tribunal ruling that the alleged claimants did not exist and that the late Jeremiah Useni was the rightful owner.
Nigerian authorities are now focusing on whether forged documents, including a Nigerian passport, were used during those proceedings.
The outcome of the criminal trial in Abuja could have significant legal and reputational implications for the senior lawyer and may further spotlight Nigeria’s efforts to address alleged corruption and document falsification involving cross-border property disputes.
