London property: AGF files fresh 12-count charge against Ozekhome, ex-FCT minister Useni’s family member

The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF) has filed a fresh 12-count charge against senior advocate, Mike Ozekhome in relations to his alleged unlawful dealings in respect of a property locat d at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom (UK) linked to the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gen. Jeremiah Useni.

The new charge filed before the HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has Ozekhome and a family member of the deceased FCT Minister – Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani) – as defendants.

The OAGF had earlier on Tuesday withdrew the three-count charge it had filed, in which Ozekhome was accused of among others, forgery, following which Justice Peter Kekemeke struck out the charge.

The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) had, while applying to withdraw the charge on Tuesday, said AGF plans to take a holistic look at the case and decide on what better option to adopt.

Oyedepo said since many agencies, including the ICPC, the Code of Conduct Bureau a d the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), were working on deferent aspects of the case, there is need for synergy.

He subsequently applied pursuant to Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 for the withdrawal of the charge pending when further action would be taken on the case.

In the new charge, both Ozekhome and Useni are accused among others, of engaging in forgery/personation and making false claims.

Counts in the charge read:

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometimes in the year 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act, to wit: making a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of a property, lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometime between the 30th day of May, 2020 and 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use as genuine a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani to facilitate your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.

*That you Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja on or about the 30th day of May,2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court falsely personated Tani Shani, a fictitious person and with such assumed character made a Power of Attorney wherein you held yourself out as Tali Shani and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 179 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under the same section of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, abetted the commission of an offence to wit: personation of one Tali Shani by Ponfa Useni who with such assumed false character made and executed with you as a party, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated the 30th day of May,2020 to facilitate your claim of a property lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 83, 84 of the Penal Code Law, 2009 and punishable under section 179 of the same Law.

*That you Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja on or about the 30th day of May,2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court cheated by personation when you pretended to be one Tali Shani, a fictitious person and with such assumed character executed an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated the 30th day of May,2020 with Chief Mike. A.A Ozekhome, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 321 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 322 of the same section of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, abetted the commission of an offence to wit: cheating by personation when you jointly executed an irrevocable power of Attorney dated the 30th day of May,2020 with one Tali Shani, a fictitious person to facilitate your claim of a property lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 83, 84, 321 of the Penal Code Law, 2009 and punishable under section 322 of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had under your control a property lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom which property is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased) with a fictious name Tali Shani, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 319A of the Penal Code Law, 2009.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had under your control the sum of Eighteen Thousand Pounds Sterling being part of the rent accrued from a property lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom which property is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased) with a fictious name Tali Shani, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 319A of the Penal Code Law, 2009.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometimes in the year 2023 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act, to wit: making a false document titled: RE: REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATION OF NIGERIAN PASSPORT NO. A07535463 BELONGING TO MR. TALI SHANI dated 4th May,2023 and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of a property, lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same Law.

*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometimes in the year 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a false document titled: RE: REQUEST FOR AUTHENTICATION OF NIGERIAN PASSPORT NO. A07535463 BELONGING TO MR. TALI SHANI dated 4th May,2023 and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim to a property located at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Law 2009 and punishable under section 364 of the same law.

Source: The Nation News