The office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) has assumed control of the criminal case involving Mike Ozekhome, senior advocate of Nigeria, who is facing allegations of forgery and the use of false documents linked to a disputed property in the United Kingdom.
The matter, instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is contained in a three-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026 and was filed on January 16.
Ozekhome was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday before a federal capital territory high court sitting in Maitama.
When proceedings commenced, Rotimi Oyedepo, senior advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that the AGF had formally taken over the prosecution of the case.
Oyedepo said the decision was aimed at ensuring the matter is handled with “the highest standard of efficiency, effectiveness, diligence and compliance with due process of law”.
He added that the AGF required time to properly review the case file before proceeding.
Osuobeni Akponimisingha, counsel to the ICPC, raised no objection to the takeover by the AGF.
Peter Kekemeke, the presiding judge, consequently adjourned the case to February 24 for the arraignment of the defendant.
The prosecution alleged that Ozekhome knowingly presented forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to support his ownership claim over a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
According to the charge, the alleged acts occurred in August 2021 within the Maitama area of Abuja, which falls under the court’s jurisdiction.
The controversy centres on ownership of the London property, with Ozekhome and Jeremiah Useni, a late retired lieutenant-general, named in the dispute.
The case was heard before the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration in the United Kingdom under reference number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani listed as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.
Competing claims were made by a person identified as ‘Ms Tali Shani’ and Ozekhome over the ownership of the property.
Ozekhome told the tribunal that the house was gifted to him in 2021 by ‘Mr Tali Shani’, a claim disputed by lawyers representing ‘Ms Shani’, who asserted ownership of the property.
A witness identified as ‘Mr Tali Shani’ testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming he held “Powers of Attorney” over the property and had transferred ownership to him.
The same witness said he had owned the property since 1993 and later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as an “elder friend and business partner”.
In contrast, witnesses for ‘Ms Tali Shani’ tendered documents including an obituary notice, NIN card, ECOWAS passport and phone records to support her ownership claim.
The tribunal, however, ruled that all documents presented on behalf of ‘Ms Tali Shani’ were fake.
In its final decision, the tribunal dismissed all claims, holding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed.
The tribunal further ruled that the property’s true owner, operating under a false identity, was Useni.