The federal government has filed a criminal charge against Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over alleged forgery in a disputed property case 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 Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of the High-Profile Prosecution Department at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and Ngozi Onwuka, assistant chief legal officer, on behalf of the attorney-general of the federation.
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.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred sometime in August 2021 in the Maitama area of Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT high court.
The charge sheet contains three counts, centred on giving false information, using forged documents, and attempting to mislead a public authority.
COUNT ONE: 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.
COUNT TWO: 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 Tali 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.
COUNT THREE: 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 a s 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.
The federal government listed several witnesses it plans to call during the trial, including investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
Documents to be tendered include the judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, letters from relevant authorities, and passport data linked to Shani Tali.
A trial date has not yet been assigned.
The case centres on a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Named in the dispute are Ozekhome and Jeremiah Useni, a retired lieutenant-general who is now deceased.
The matter was filed at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration, UK, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani as applicant and Ozekhome as respondent.
The property was claimed by one “Ms Tali Shani” and Ozekhome.
Ozekhome stated he received the house as a gift from “Mr Tali Shani” in 2021, while lawyers for “Ms Shani” argued she was the rightful owner.
A witness known as “Mr Tali Shani” testified in support of Ozekhome, saying he possessed “Powers of Attorney” over the property and had transferred it to him.
He claimed to have owned the property since 1993 and appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as an “elder friend and business partner”.
Meanwhile, witnesses for “Ms Tali Shani” submitted documents — including an obituary notice, NIN card, ECOWAS passport and phone number, to support her claim.
However, the tribunal found all documents tendered on behalf of “Ms Tali Shani” to be fake.
The tribunal dismissed both claims and ruled that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani ever existed.
The court concluded that the real owner of the property, operating under a false identity, was Useni.