The Federal Government has instituted a criminal prosecution against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, 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 Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. The prosecution was instituted on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Head of the High-Profile Prosecution Department at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alongside Ngozi Onwuka, an Assistant Chief Legal Officer.

According to the charge sheet, Ozekhome is accused of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to support a 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 been committed sometime in August 2021, partly in London and partly in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court. 

The prosecution listed three counts bordering on giving false information, forgery, and the use of forged documents with intent to deceive a public authority.

In Count One, Ozekhome is alleged to have directly received the London property as a gift from one Mr Shani Tali, an act the prosecution claims he knew constituted a felony, contrary to Sections 13 and 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Count Two accuses him of making a false Nigerian passport bearing the name Shani Tali, with the intent to use it to support his claim of ownership of the disputed property, contrary to Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code Laws of the FCT, 2006.

In Count Three, the SAN is alleged to have dishonestly used the said passport as a genuine document, despite knowing or having reason to believe it was false, also contrary to the Penal Code.

The Federal Government disclosed that it would call several witnesses during the trial, including investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Documents listed as exhibits include the judgment of the London First-tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, correspondence from relevant authorities, and passport data relating to Shani Tali.

The case has not yet been assigned a hearing date.

Background

The charge stems from a protracted dispute over ownership of the London property at 79 Randall Avenue. The matter was previously heard by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani listed as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.

Ozekhome had claimed that the property was gifted to him in 2021 by Mr Tali Shani. However, lawyers representing Ms Tali Shani countered that she was the lawful owner.

During the tribunal proceedings, a witness identified as Mr Tali Shani testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming ownership of the property since 1993 and stating that he later appointed the late retired Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni as his property manager.

Conversely, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani tendered documents such as an obituary notice, National Identification Number (NIN) card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records to establish ownership.

In its ruling, the tribunal found the documents tendered by Ms Tali Shani to be fake and ultimately dismissed all claims, holding that neither Mr nor Ms Tali Shani existed. The tribunal concluded that the property was in fact owned by the late Jeremiah Useni, operating under a false identity.