FG files charges against Ozekhome in UK property ownership dispute

The Federal Government has instituted criminal proceedings against prominent lawyer and 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 High Court in Abuja on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation. The prosecution is being handled by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of the High Profile Prosecution Department of 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, during proceedings at the London First-Tier Tribunal to support his claim of ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.

The alleged offences were said to have been committed around August 2021, partly in London and within the Maitama area of Abuja, which falls under the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.

Prosecutors allege that the senior lawyer attempted to mislead a public authority by providing false information and using forged documents in the course of the property dispute.

In one of the counts, the Federal Government accused Ozekhome of unlawfully receiving the London property, purportedly as a gift from one Mr Shani Tali, an act the prosecution claims constituted a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Another count alleges that Ozekhome, while practising as a legal practitioner and SAN, made a false document — a Nigerian passport bearing the name Shani Tali — with the intent to use it to advance his ownership claim over the disputed property.

The third count accuses him of dishonestly using the said passport, knowing or having reason to believe that it was forged, in violation of provisions of the Penal Code applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Federal Government has listed several witnesses for the trial, including investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Documents expected to be tendered as exhibits include the judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence, and passport records linked to the disputed identity.

No trial date has been fixed as of the time of filing.

Background

The charge stems from a long-running 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, involving claims by individuals identified as Tali Shani and counterclaims linked to Ozekhome. The late retired Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni was also named in the dispute.

During the tribunal proceedings, Ozekhome maintained that the property was gifted to him in 2021 by a person identified as Mr Tali Shani. However, lawyers representing another claimant, Ms Tali Shani, argued that she was the legitimate owner.

A witness who identified himself as Mr Tali Shani testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming ownership of the property since 1993 and stating that he later appointed Useni as his property manager.

Conversely, documents tendered by the opposing side, including identity records and travel documents, were challenged during the proceedings.

In its ruling, the tribunal dismissed all claims before it, concluding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed and holding that the property was linked to Useni, who was found to have operated under a false identity.

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