- Senior Advocate Mike Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni face charges of conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation.
- The prosecution alleges the duo forged a Nigerian passport and documents to claim a property in London.
- Investigators suspect the property and £18,000 in accrued rent were unlawfully obtained by the late Gen. Jeremiah Useni.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has intensified its legal battle against human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, filing a fresh 12-count charge at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the charges, instituted by the Federal Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, involve alleged conspiracy, forgery, and the unlawful control of a prime property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London.
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Ozekhome is charged alongside Ponfa Useni, also known as Tali Shani, in a case that also names the late former FCT Minister, Gen. Jeremiah Useni, as a co-conspirator.
According to the prosecution led by Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2020 to procure a fraudulent Nigerian International Passport in the name of “Tali Shani.”
This document was purportedly used to facilitate a legal claim to the London property. The government claims that between 2023 and 2025, the defendants dishonestly presented this forged passport as genuine to investigators and authorities.
The charge specifically accuses Ponfa Useni of impersonating a fictitious person to execute a Power of Attorney, an act the government alleges Ozekhome abetted by jointly signing the document.
The legal pressure on Ozekhome extends to the financial proceeds of the property. Count 10 of the charge alleges that the senior lawyer had under his control approximately £18,000, representing rent accrued from the Randall Avenue address.
Investigators stated they reasonably suspect these funds, and the property itself, were obtained through unlawful means by the late General Useni using a fictitious identity.
Additional counts allege the forgery of a 2023 letter directed to the Nigeria Immigration Service, which falsely requested the authentication of the suspicious passport to bolster their property claim.
This new filing followed a tactical move by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), which earlier on Tuesday withdrew three previous charges against Ozekhome.
Oyedepo informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the AGF sought a “holistic review” to ensure public interest and fairness in the criminal justice system. Following this withdrawal, the prosecution took over the case from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and immediately presented the expanded 12-count indictment.
Both Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni are currently reported to be in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The High Court is expected to announce an arraignment date shortly, as the Ministry of Justice maintains that a prima facie case has been established.
The development marks a significant turn in the government’s anti-corruption drive, targeting high-profile legal figures and the offshore assets of former military officials.
While Ozekhome’s defense team has yet to formally respond to the new charges, the AGF has assured the court that the rights of the defendants will be protected throughout the review and trial process.
