By Ayodele Oni
As Civil Societies Organizations, (CSOs) advised against arraignment of Human Rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday, the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) has welcomed the arraignment.
NBA’s Anti-Corruption Committee see the three-count criminal charge filed against Ozekhome by the ICPC as a welcome development.
The chairman of the NBA Anti-Corruption Committee, Prof. Babafemi Badejo, who stated this in an exclusive interview, praised the ICPC for filing the charge, which allows the embattled lawyer the opportunity to defend himself.
Prof. Badejo, however, noted that the ICPC’s action also gives the senior advocate, Ozekhome, the opportunity to clear his name.
He said: “The ICPC has a formidable task of proving the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
“I commend the chairman of the ICPC, Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, and his team for their courageous investigation into issues arising from the now popular Tali Shani London property case.
“Additionally, ensuring Chief Ozekhome, SAN, receives a fair trial in court is vital as part of a broader effort to enhance the rule of law in Nigeria. This prosecution directly challenges the culture of impunity in such matters.”
According to him, upholding the rule of law requires that the judicial process be fair and impartial rather than influenced by the media.
He expressed hope that the Federal High Court in Abuja will perform its duty without bias.
The ICPC had dragged the Human Rights Lawyer, to Court over an alleged forgery in UK Property Case.
In the charge, he was accused of forgery and the use of false documents in a property case in the United Kingdom.
The three-count charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/2026, was filed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by Osuobeni Akponimisingha, head of the prosecution department of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In the charge, Ozekhome was accused of knowingly presenting forged documents, including a Nigerian international passport, to support his claim of ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, during proceedings before the London First-Tier Tribunal.
The alleged offences were committed sometime in August 2021 in the Maitama area of the nation’s capital, within the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court.
The charge sheet contains three counts bordering on giving false information, the use of forged documents, and attempting to deceive a public authority.
The senior advocate is accused of knowingly receiving the London property at 79 Randall Avenue, which he allegedly had no lawful right to; creating a false Nigerian passport in the name of Shani Tali to support his claim to the property and dishonestly using the forged passport to assert ownership of the property.
The federal government listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including its investigators and a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
Documents to be tendered as exhibits include the judgment of the London First-Tier Tribunal, extra-judicial statements, letters from relevant authorities, and passport data relating to Shani Tali.
The controversy involves a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Named in the property dispute are Ozekhome and Jeremiah Useni, a retired lieutenant-general who is now deceased.
It was filed at the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Land Registration, UK, under case number REF/2023/0155, with Tali Shani as the applicant and Ozekhome as the respondent.
The property had been claimed by Ms. Tali Shani on one hand and Ozekhome on the other.
Ozekhome said he received the house as a gift from Mr. Tali Shani in 2021, while lawyers for Ms. Shani insisted she was the rightful owner of the property.
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