AGF Takes Over Ozekhomes’s Forgery Trial, To Review Charges

…As Court Fixes Arraignment For February 24

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has taken over the alleged forgery trial of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome.

Ozekhome is facing a three-count charge filed by the ICPC, bordering on alleged fraud and the use of forged documents in connection with a property located in London, the United Kingdom.

The court, presided over by Justice Peter Kekemeke, also fixed February 24, 2026, for the arraignment of the defendant.

At Monday’s proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, informed the court that the Office of the AGF had taken over the prosecution of the case earlier instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Oyedepo explained that the decision to assume control of the matter was in line with the constitutional responsibility of the AGF to ensure fairness, competence, and compliance with the law in criminal prosecutions.

According to him, the takeover was also guided by public interest and the need to instil confidence, fairness, and diligence in the administration of criminal justice.

He, therefore, urged the court to take judicial notice of the takeover of the trial by the Office of the AGF and sought an adjournment to enable the prosecution thoroughly review the case file and the charges.

Counsel to the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, did not object to the request, assuring the court of the Commission’s full cooperation with the AGF’s office, having been the agency that investigated the matter.

Similarly, counsel to Ozekhome, former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and, also raised no objection to the takeover.

Following the consensus of counsel, the presiding judge, Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter and fixed February 24, for the arraignment of the defendant.

The charges against Ozekhome were originally filed by the ICPC on January 16, following a petition submitted by the head of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj.

The petition reportedly drew the Commission’s attention to findings contained in a judgment of a British property tribunal, which accused Ozekhome and others of conspiring with corrupt Nigerian officials to procure forged national identity documents in order to fraudulently claim ownership of a property located in North London.

Following its investigation, the ICPC filed a three-count charge against the Senior Advocate, listing him as the sole defendant, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the plaintiff.

In the first count, Ozekhome is alleged to have, in August 2021 in London, directly received a property known as House 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, purportedly given to him by one Mr. Shani Tali, knowing that the act constituted a felony.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

The second count alleges that Ozekhome, while acting as a legal practitioner and SAN, created a false Nigerian passport bearing the name of Mr. Shani Tali in August 2021, with the intent of supporting a fraudulent claim of ownership of the said property.

The alleged offence is contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The third count further alleged that Ozekhome dishonestly used the said forged passport to substantiate the ownership claim, knowing the document to be false, contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code.

AGF Takes Over Ozekhomes’s Forgery Trial, To Review Charges is first published on The Whistler Newspaper