the Federal Government (FG) filed a fresh 12-count criminal charge against Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, and Ponfa Useni (the son of the late former FCT Minister, General Jeremiah Useni).

The charges revolve around a disputed property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, and follow the withdrawal of an earlier, more limited three-count charge.

Allegations​The FG, through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF), has leveled several serious accusations against Ozekhome and his co-defendant:

Forgery & Fictitious Identity: The prosecution alleges that in 2020, the defendants conspired to forge a Nigerian passport in the name of “Tali Shani”—a person the FG claims is fictitious—to support a claim to the London property.

Abetment of Personation: Ozekhome is accused of abetting Ponfa Useni in impersonating the fictitious “Tali Shani” by jointly executing an irrevocable Power of Attorney to facilitate the property claim.

Unlawful Control of Property: Count 9 alleges that Ozekhome had under his control the London property, which is suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by the late General Useni.

Proceeds of Crime: Count 10 alleges that Ozekhome collected £18,000 in rent accrued from the property, funds which investigators suspect are proceeds of unlawful activity.

The filing of these fresh charges followed a brief legal “reset” earlier that same day:

Withdrawal of Old Charges: The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), first moved to withdraw the original 3-count charge filed by the ICPC.

Court Ruling: Justice Peter Kekemeke of the FCT High Court struck out the previous charges after the defense, led by Paul Erokoro (SAN), raised no objection.

Expansion of Scope: The prosecution explained that the withdrawal was intended to allow for a “holistic look” at the case, citing the need for synergy between the ICPC, EFCC, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.