The Federal Government on Friday arraigned renowned lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over allegations of involvement in a fraudulent scheme aimed at claiming ownership of a disputed property in the United Kingdom.
Ozekhome pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge read before Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.
He was charged alongside Ponfa Useni, son of the late General Jeremiah Useni (Rtd), a former Minister of the FCT who is central to the alleged property fraud.
The accusations against the defendants revolve around forgery and abetment of criminal offences.
The Federal Government alleged that in 2020, Ozekhome collaborated with Ponfa Useni, also known as Tali Shani, and the late General Useni to commit an illegal act by creating a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 under the name Tali Shani.
The prosecution claims, “the defendants claimed the forged passport was issued by the Nigerian 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.”
The charge further alleges that Ozekhome abetted cheating by personation by executing an irrevocable power of attorney dated May 30, 2020, with Tali Shani, “a fictitious person,” to facilitate the claim of the UK property.
According to the prosecution, this act constitutes an offence under sections 83, 84, 321 of the Penal Code Law, 2009, punishable under section 322.
Count 9 of the charge claims Ozekhome took control of the UK property, which is suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by General Useni under the fictitious name Tali Shani. Count 10 alleges he collected £18,000 in rent from the property during the period in question.
Ponfa Useni, accused of falsely personating Tali Shani, is cited as the second defendant in a charge signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
Following their not-guilty pleas, Oyedepo, SAN, applied for a trial date. Meanwhile, Ozekhome’s counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, and the co-defendants’ lawyer, F. R. Onoja, requested bail, which the prosecution did not oppose.
Justice Orji granted the defendants bail of N10 million each, with a surety in the same sum.
The Court specified that the sureties must own landed property within the FCT and ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports, forbidding travel abroad without court permission.
Since proceedings took place on a Friday, Justice Orji noted that the defendants could go home even if they could not perfect bail on the same day.
She, however, directed them to return on Monday to fulfill bail conditions, warning that failure would result in remand.
It is noteworthy that the court had previously struck out a three-count charge brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission against Ozekhome regarding the disputed UK property.
