The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to arraign Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over allegations connected to a disputed property in London.
The arraignment, scheduled for Monday, January 26, is expected to take place at Courtroom 4, according to a hearing notice. The Federal Government is listed as the complainant in the case, while Ozekhome is the sole defendant.
The ICPC prosecution team will be led by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, who heads the commission’s High Profile Prosecution Department.
Court documents indicate that Ozekhome is facing three separate charges bordering on alleged fraudulent dealings linked to a property at 79 Randall Avenue, London.
One of the counts alleges that in August 2021, he received ownership of the property in London from an individual identified as Shani Tali, despite knowing that the transaction was unlawful.
Another charge accuses him of allegedly producing a falsified Nigerian international passport in the same period, which was said to have been used to support a claim of ownership over the London property.
The third count alleges that he knowingly used the same allegedly forged document to reinforce the ownership claim, despite being aware it was not genuine.
The ICPC said the case followed a petition submitted by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, led by Mr. Olanrewaju Suraj. The petition referenced findings from a British court ruling that reportedly linked Ozekhome and others to alleged involvement in a scheme involving forged documents and property claims in the United Kingdom.
According to the commission, its investigation was triggered after a London property tribunal judgment allegedly raised concerns about the legitimacy of ownership claims over the North London property.
Ozekhome, a prominent legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has not publicly reacted to the latest court notice at the time of filing this report.
The matter is expected to be mentioned in court on Monday, where proceedings will determine how the case progresses.
