According to the proof of evidence submitted on January 16, 2026, they will inform the court that the ICPC received a petition based on the UK tribunal judgment.
The Federal Government, acting through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has filed its proof of evidence, a list of exhibits, and a roster of witnesses in preparation for the trial of senior lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
The case, designated FCT/HC/CR/010/26, is being prosecuted on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation by the ICPC’s High Profile Prosecution Department, led by Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.
The case arises from a petition linked to a judgment delivered by the UK First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber, Land Registration) in Case No. REF/2023/0155, involving a disputed property at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Following the tribunal’s judgment on September 11, 2025, the ICPC launched a discreet investigation into allegations surrounding the ownership of the property and documents that Ozekhome reportedly used to support his claim.
The ICPC investigators, Mr. Wakili Joshua Musa and Mr. Tosin Olayiwola, are listed as the primary witnesses and will detail the investigation process during the trial.
According to the proof of evidence submitted on January 16, 2026, they will inform the court that the ICPC received a petition based on the UK tribunal judgment, that the case was assigned to their team by the ICPC Chairman through their unit head, and that they developed a formal investigation strategy approved by the ICPC Chairman.
They will recount sending letters to banks, government agencies, and private institutions to obtain relevant records and contacting the Nigerian Immigration Service to verify the authenticity of a passport in the name of “Shani Tali,” which the prosecution claims was used to support Ozekhome’s property claim.
The investigators will also describe obtaining a certified true copy of the UK tribunal judgment, recording extra-judicial statements from Ozekhome and other individuals connected to the case, and tendering relevant documents as exhibits while outlining the contributions of other members of the investigation team.
A representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service is also listed as a witness and is expected to explain their role and rank, the authority under which they were invited to testify, the verification process of the “Shani Tali” passport forwarded by the ICPC, the findings of that verification, and any related documents arising from the exercise.
The prosecution’s list of exhibits includes the judgment of the UK First-Tier Tribunal dated September 11, 2025, the extra-judicial statement of Chief Mike Ozekhome dated January 12, 2026, interim forfeiture proceedings relating to the property at 79 Randall Avenue before the Federal High Court in Nigeria, a letter dated December 18, 2025 whose contents were not disclosed in the filing, the data page of the “Shani Tali” passport, and any additional documents that may be obtained before or during the trial.
The ICPC has formally listed six categories of witnesses, comprising Mr. Joshua Wakili and Mr. Tosin Olayiwola as ICPC investigators, Mr. Ebenezer Nduo and Mr. Blessing Monokpo as ICPC officials, a representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service, and any other individuals who may be subpoenaed later.
The filing also referenced the UK tribunal proceedings, which took place on June 11–12, 2024, July 29–30, 2025, and September 2–3, 2025 via Cloud Video Platform. In that case, Tali Shani was the applicant while Ozekhome appeared as the respondent, initially represented by counsel and later representing himself.
Earlier on Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja Judicial Division, had formally opened a criminal case against Ozekhome over allegations involving a property in London and the use of a falsified Nigerian passport.
The defendant, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, aged 68, and resident at No. 53 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, faces three counts relating to the alleged receipt of property abroad, forgery, and fraudulent use of false documents.
Count One alleges that sometime in August 2021, Chief Ozekhome, while outside Nigeria in London, received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, purportedly given to him by one Mr. Shani Tali. The act, prosecutors claim, constitutes a felony under Section 13 and is punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Count Two charges Ozekhome with making a false document while in Abuja during the same period. Prosecutors state that he allegedly created a Nigerian passport, numbered A07535463 and bearing the name of Mr. Shani Tali, intending to use it to support a claim of ownership over the London property. This act is said to contravene Section 363 and is punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code, CAP 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006.
Count Three alleges that Ozekhome dishonestly used the falsified passport as a genuine document to substantiate the claim to the London property, despite having reason to believe the document was false. This, according to the prosecution, constitutes an offence under Section 366 and is punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code, CAP 532, Laws of the FCT, Abuja, 2006.
The High Court has yet to announce a date for the hearing of the charges.
Background
In September 2025, SaharaReporters reported that a long-running ownership battle over a London property had taken a dramatic turn after the UK’s First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) ruled that the house, registered under the name Tali Shani, in fact belonged to the late Nigerian General Jeremiah Timbut Useni.
The case began with a dispute over the property in question, located at 79 Randall Avenue, in the Brent area of North West London, first purchased in 1993.
The title was registered in the name “Tali Shani,” but over the years, questions emerged about who this person really was and whether the name concealed the true beneficial owner.
What began as a routine property registration application evolved into a complex tale of false identities, offshore accounts, and high-level Nigerian political intrigue.
Tribunal Rules London Property Belongs to Late General Useni’s Estate, Dismissing Ozekhome’s Claim
A tribunal presided over by Judge Ewan Paton ruled that the London property belongs to the estate of the late General Useni, dismissing claims by Ozekhome, and the purported owners using the name “Tali Shani.”
The tribunal found that both “Ms. Tali Shani” and “Mr. Tali Shani,” who had appeared in the proceedings, were impostors and not genuine owners of the property.
Investigations by the Nigeria Police Force, including checks on a National Identification Number (NIN) and a mobile phone bill linked to the name, confirmed that the identities were fabricated. The mobile bill cited as evidence was traced to a Lagos-based solicitor, further undermining the claim of the so-called Shani camp.
The case centred on Ozekhome’s attempt to assert ownership through a purported transaction, while the “Shani” group claimed entitlement to the house. Throughout the proceedings, the tribunal repeatedly questioned the credibility of the evidence presented, highlighting inconsistencies and the absence of verifiable documentation.
A key development came from the tribunal’s review of testimony previously given by General Useni in June 2024, before his death in January 2025.
Useni, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator, and military officer, was linked to the original purchase of the London property. Documentation from Jersey courts showed that Useni had used the false name “Tali Shani” to conceal offshore assets.
Based on these findings, the tribunal concluded that Useni had been the true purchaser of the property in 1993 and had registered it under a false identity. Ozekhome’s application to register an interest in the property was struck out, and the claims of the supposed “Tali Shani” were dismissed.
The ruling reaffirmed that the London house is part of the late General Useni’s estate. The tribunal noted contradictions in previous legal authorities cited during arguments but emphasized that beneficial ownership clearly belonged to Useni.
In October 2025, the AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), expressed deep concern over the rising number of complaints against senior lawyers in Nigeria and hinted at prosecuting those found culpable.
Speaking at a special court session to mark the beginning of the Supreme Court's 2025/2026 Legal Year and the inauguration of 57 senior advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Fagbemi lamented the rot in the Nigeria judiciary.
Fagbemi revealed that his office had been receiving several complaints against senior members of the bar, bordering on professional misconduct.
The AGF specifically highlighted the UK judgment involving Ozekhome and the late General Useni over the disputed London property.
According to Fagbemi, the Tribunal judgment, given by Judge Paton ruled that the late General Useni was the true owner of the disputed property, purchased in 1993 under the false identity of Tali Shani.
Fagbemi announced plans to probe the conduct of senior lawyers involved in the case.
"It is for this reason that my office has now taken the unusual step of verifying the authenticity of this and other complaints with a view to referring them to the appropriate disciplinary bodies," he said.
"I look forward to receiving the cooperation of the Nigerian Bar Association and the Body of Senior Advocates in this regard."