The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal charge filed against Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, over alleged forgery, only to file a fresh 12-count charge against him and one Ponfa Useini (aka Tali Shani) in connection with a disputed property in London.
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The withdrawal of the initial three-count charge was announced on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General of the Federation had decided to take a holistic look at the case and determine the most appropriate course of action.
Following the application, which was not opposed by the defence team led by Paul Erokoro, SAN, the court struck out the three-count charge against Ozekhome.
However, the AGF has now filed a fresh 12-count charge against Ozekhome and Ponfa Useini (aka Tali Shani) at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
The charge, signed by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, and A.R. Tahir, Chief State Counsel, also names the late General Jeremiah Useni as a co-defendant.
In counts one through four, Ozekhome, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), and the late General Jeremiah Useni are accused of conspiring to make a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, purporting same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support their claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom.
They are also accused of dishonestly using the false passport as genuine between 2023 and 2025.
The offences are contrary to Sections 96, 363, and 366 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Law.
In count five, Ponfa Useni is accused of falsely personating Tali Shani, described as a fictitious person, and with such assumed character made a Power of Attorney on May 30, 2020, holding himself out as Tali Shani.
In count six, Ozekhome is accused of abetting the commission of personation by Ponfa Useni, who with such assumed false character made and executed with Ozekhome as a party, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated May 30, 2020, to facilitate the claim to the London property.
Counts seven and eight accuse Ponfa Useni of cheating by personation and Ozekhome of abetting same.
The offences are contrary to Sections 83, 84, 179, and 321 of the Penal Code Law 2009.
In count nine, Ozekhome is accused of having under his control the property at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, which is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased) with the fictitious name Tali Shani.
In count ten, Ozekhome is accused of having under his control the sum of Eighteen Thousand Pounds Sterling being part of the rent accrued from the said property.
The offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 319A of the Penal Code Law 2009.
In counts eleven and twelve, Ozekhome, Ponfa Useni, and the late General Useni are accused of conspiring to make and making a false document titled “RE: REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATION OF NIGERIAN PASSPORT NO. A07535463 BELONGING TO MR. TALI SHANI” dated May 4, 2023, purporting same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The ICPC had initially filed a three-count criminal charge against Ozekhome at the FCT High Court in Abuja, accusing him of alleged fraud, forgery and use of false documents in connection with the disputed London property.
Prosecutors alleged that the senior lawyer knowingly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which he claimed was gifted to him, and then allegedly used a forged Nigerian passport in support of that claim.
On January 29, 2026, Oyedepo notified the court of the Attorney General’s decision to take over the prosecution from the anti-graft agency pursuant to Section 174 of the Constitution.
He explained that the decision was taken in collaboration with the ICPC and was aimed at ensuring that the prosecution meets the highest standards of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence and compliance with due process.
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