By TAIYE AGBAJE

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a criminal charge against Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over allegations bordering on fraud in relation to a London property.

The ICPC, in a three-count charge filed by its lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Head, High Profile Prosecution Department, at the Abuja High Court, accused Ozekhome of complicity in the large-scale corruption case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fresh charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/010/26 dated and filed Jan. 16, named the senior lawyer as sole defendant.

The charge was sighted on Sunday.

Count one alleged that Ozekhome, 68 years, of No. 53, Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout in London, within the jurisdiction of the court, directly received House 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, purportedly given to him by one Mr Shani Tali.

The act he knew constitutes a felony and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences, Act, 2000.

In count two, Ozekhome was alleged to have, sometime in August 2021 or thereabout, while being a legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria did make a false document with a Nigeria passport: A07535463, bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali.

The commission alleged that the senior lawyer did this with plan to use same to support claim of ownership of property known and described as “79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 78X with intent to commit fraud.”

It said the offence Is contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

Count three accused Ozekhome of dishonestly used as genuine, a false “Nigeria passport A07535463, bearing the name of Mr Shani Tali to support claim of ownership of property known and described as ’79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX,’ when he had reason to believe that the said document was false.

The ICPC said the offence is contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code CAP 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2006.

In support of the charge are the list of exhibits which include a case number: REF/2023/0155 (judgment) dated Sept. 11, 2025; extra-judicial statement of the defendant dated Jan. 12, 2026.

Others are interim forfeiture proceeding in respect of House 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX at the Federal High Court; a letter dated Dec. 18, 2025; a data page of Shani Tali and any other relevant documents being awaited relating to the case.

The anti-corruption commission, in its proof of evidence, listed the witnesses to testify against the defendant, including Mr Wakili Musa and Mr Tosin Olayiwola, who are both investigators with ICPC.

Besides, a representative of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), whose name was not mentioned in the proof of evidence, is also expected to give evidence to establish the case against the senior lawyer.

Others are Mr Ebenezer Nduo and Mr Blessing Monokpo who are also investigators with the ICPC, and any other vital witness by way of subpoena or filing additional list of witnesses.

As at the time of filing the report, the case is yet to be assigned to a judge.

NAN recalls that ICPC had opened an investigation into the prominent Nigerian lawyer, Ozekhome, following a damning judgment of a London property tribunal that linked him and others to a web of fraud and forged documents.

The commission’s probe was triggered by a petition from Olanrewaju Suraj, head of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).

The petition had referenced the British court judgment and accused Ozekhome and several others of conspiring with corrupt Nigerian officials to procure fake national identity documents in a bid to “fraudulently claim ownership” of the North London house. (NAN)

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