FG files fresh charge against Ozekhome, Late Gen Useni’s son over London Property
FG files fresh charge against Ozekhome, Late Gen Useni’s son over London Property
By Idun Maximus
The Federal Government has filed fresh criminal charges against human rights lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), over alleged use of a forged Nigerian passport in a disputed property case in the United Kingdom (UK).
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had in the early hours of yesterday, withdrawn the former charges against the constitutional lawyer.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who applied for the withdrawal of the earlier charge, told Justice Peter Kekemeke of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that after reviewing the case file, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN instructed that the case be withdrawn for further instructions.
The DPPF said the application for withdrawal was brought pursuant to section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Oyedepo said the AGF’s decision was informed by the need to ensure that the prosecution complies with the highest standards of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence, and compliance with due process of law.
He added that the AGF was guided by public interest to instill confidence, fairness, and competence in the criminal justice system.
The DPPF said the AGF also considered the inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption in taking over the case.
He assured the court that the defendant’s rights would be protected, adding that no party would suffer any injustice.
Oyedepo subsequently asked the court to take judicial notice of the formal takeover of the trial by the office of the AGF.
He then sought an adjournment to enable the AGF’s office to retrieve the case file from the ICPC, review it, and decide on the next steps.
Following Oyedepo’s application, which the defence legal team led by Paul Erokoro (SAN) did not oppose, Justice Peter Kekemeke struck out the three-count charge.
Justice Kekemeke held that, “the application having not been objected to is hereby granted. Accordingly, charge No: FCT/HC/CR/010/2026 is hereby withdrawn and struck out.”
However, before the close of the day, the AGF through the office of the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) filed a fresh 12-count charges against Chief Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni, the son of the late Jeremiah Useni, former FCT minister, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The fresh charge filed by the DPPF, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) reads in part;
“That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometimes in the year 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act, to wit: making a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of a property, lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.
“That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometime between the 30th day of May, 2020 and 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.
“That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use as genuine a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani to facilitate your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.”
