FG files fresh charges against Ozekhome over alleged use of fake Nigerian passport

The federal government has filed fresh criminal chargesagainst Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), over alleged use ofa fake Nigerian passport in a disputed property case in the United Kingdom(UK). The federal government filed a 12-count charge againstOzekhome at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court, Abuja, on Tuesday. The second defendant in the case is Ponfa Useni, the son ofthe late Jeremiah Useni, former FCT minister. In the charge sheet, Ponfa was identified with the alias“Tali Shani. Earlier, the FCT high court struck out charges filed by theIndependent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)against Ozekhome on the same issue after the attorney-general of the federation(AGF) and minister of justice withdrew the charges. On January 16, the ICPC filed a three-count charge borderingon forgery allegations, against Ozekhome. The office of the AGF had taken over the case on January 26.Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the AGF, had on the lastadjourned date, said the case will be prosecuted with “the highest standard ofefficiency, effectiveness, diligence and compliance with due process of law”.THE NEW CASEIn the charge sheet, the federal government said between May2020 and 2021, Ozekhome, Ponfa, and the late Useni made a “false NigerianInternational Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purportedsame to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent ofusing the same to support your claim of a property, lying, being and situate atNo. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom.”.The federal government said the offence contravened thePenal Code Law 2009. “That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adultof 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni(now deceased), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of thishonourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use as genuine a falseNigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani tofacilitate your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, LondonNW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the sameLaw,” part of the charge sheet reads. “That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adultof 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni(now deceased), sometimes between 2023 and 2025 in Abuja within thejurisdiction of this honourable court, dishonestly used as genuine a falseNigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and youthereby committed an offence of forgery contrary to Section 366 of the PenalCode Law 2009 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law. “That you Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja on or about the 30th day ofMay,2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court falselypersonated Tani Shani, a fictitious person and with such assumed character madea Power of Attorney wherein you held yourself out as Tali Shani and you therebycommitted an offence contrary to section 179 of the Penal Code Law 2009 andpunishable under the same section of the same Law. “That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adultof 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2020 in Abuja within thejurisdiction of this honourable court, abetted the commission of an offence towit: personation of one Tali Shani by Ponfa Useni who with such assumed falsecharacter made and executed with you as a party, an Irrevocable Power ofAttorney dated the 30th day of May, 2020 to facilitate your claim of a propertylying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdomand you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 83, 84 of the PenalCode Law, 2009 and punishable under section 179 of the same Law. “That you Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja on or about the 30th day ofMay,2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court cheated bypersonation when you pretended to be one Tali Shani, a fictitious person andwith such assumed character executed an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated the30th day of May,2020 with Chief Mike. A.A Ozekhome, and you thereby committedan offence contrary to section 321 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishableunder section 322 of the same section of the same Law.” BACKGROUND The controversy involves a property located at 79 RandallAvenue, London NW2 7SX. Named in the property dispute are Ozekhome and Useni, aretired lieutenant-general who is now deceased. It was filed at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)Land Registration, UK, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani as theapplicant and Ozekhome

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