The Federal Government has brought criminal charges against renowned lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, over allegations that he forged and used false documents in connection with a controversial property dispute in the United Kingdom.
The case, filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, accuses Ozekhome of presenting allegedly forged documents to back his claim to a London property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX. The three-count charge, numbered FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed on Friday on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation by senior prosecutors from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to the charge, Ozekhome is alleged to have knowingly relied on falsified documents, including a Nigerian international passport, during proceedings at the London First-tier Tribunal, where ownership of the disputed property was contested. Prosecutors claim the alleged offences were committed in August 2021, partly in Abuja’s Maitama district, which places the matter within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
The charges border on giving false information, using forged documents, and attempting to mislead a public authority. In one count, Ozekhome is accused of unlawfully receiving the London property, which he allegedly claimed was gifted to him by one “Mr Shani Tali,” despite knowing that the transaction amounted to a criminal offence. Another count alleges that, while acting as a legal practitioner, he caused a false Nigerian passport bearing the name Shani Tali to be made, with the intention of using it to fraudulently support his ownership claim. The final count accuses him of knowingly presenting the same passport as a genuine document, despite having reason to believe it was forged.
The Federal Government has lined up several witnesses for the trial, including ICPC investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service. Prosecutors also plan to tender key documents such as the judgment of the London First-tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, official correspondence, and passport records connected to the disputed identity.
No trial date has been fixed yet.
The criminal case stems from a long-running dispute over the London property, which also involved the late retired Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni. The matter was earlier 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.
During those proceedings, competing claims emerged over the true ownership of the house. Ozekhome maintained that he received the property as a gift from “Mr Tali Shani” in 2021. Lawyers representing “Ms Tali Shani,” however, argued that she was the legitimate owner. A witness identified as Mr Tali Shani testified in support of Ozekhome, claiming he held powers of attorney over the property and had lawfully transferred it to him. He also stated that he had owned the house since 1993 and later appointed Useni as his property manager, describing him as a close associate and business partner.
On the other side, witnesses for Ms Tali Shani presented documents such as an obituary notice, National Identification Number card, ECOWAS passport, and phone records to support her claim. However, the tribunal ruled that all the documents submitted in her name were fake.
In a dramatic conclusion, the tribunal dismissed all the competing claims, finding that neither “Mr” nor “Ms” Tali Shani actually existed. The tribunal held that the true owner of the property was Jeremiah Useni, who had allegedly operated under a false identity.
That ruling now forms part of the evidence the Federal Government intends to rely on as it pursues the criminal case against Ozekhome in Nigeria.