FG Drags SAN To Court Over Alleged UK Property Forgery.

The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, over alleged forgery and the use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in the United Kingdom.

The three-count charge, with suit number FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed on Friday before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

The case was instituted by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of the high-profile prosecution unit of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alongside Ngozi Onwuka, an assistant chief legal officer, on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

According to the charge, 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 been committed in August 2021 within the Maitama area of Abuja, which falls under the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.

Prosecutors listed three counts against the senior lawyer, bordering on providing false information, using forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.

In the first count, the Federal Government alleged that Ozekhome unlawfully received the London property, knowing that the act amounted to a felony under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.

The second count accused him of allegedly making a false Nigerian passport in the name of Shani Tali, with the intention of using it to fraudulently support his claim to the London property.

In the third count, Ozekhome was accused of dishonestly using the alleged forged passport as a genuine document to back his ownership claim, despite having reason to believe that it was false.

The Federal Government listed several witnesses it intends to present during the trial, including investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Documents expected to be tendered as exhibits include the judgment of the London First-tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence from relevant agencies, and passport records relating to Shani Tali.

No date has yet been fixed for the commencement of the trial.

The controversy centres on the ownership of the property at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which was the subject of a dispute involving Ozekhome and the late retired Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni.

The matter was heard by the UK First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani listed as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.

Both ‘Ms Tali Shani’ and Ozekhome laid claim to the property.

Ozekhome had told the tribunal that the property was given to him as a gift by ‘Mr Tali Shani’ in 2021, a claim contested by lawyers representing ‘Ms Shani’, who maintained that she was the rightful owner.

A witness identified as ‘Mr Tali Shani’ testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming he held powers of attorney over the property and had transferred it to him.

He further claimed to have owned the property since 1993 and said he later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as an “elder friend and business partner”.

However, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani tendered several documents, including an obituary notice, NIN card, ECOWAS passport and phone records, to support their claim of ownership.

The tribunal eventually ruled that all documents presented in support of Ms Tali Shani’s claim were fake.

In its final decision, the tribunal dismissed all claims, holding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani existed, and ruled that the true owner of the property, operating under a false name, was Useni.