The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi SAN, on Tuesday withdrew the charge filed by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) against Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN.
Recall that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had filed a three-count charge bordering on forgery allegations against Ozekhome on January 16; however, on January 26 the office of the AGF had taken over the case.
The FGN filed a fresh 12-count charge against Ozekhome and Ponfa Useni, also known as Tali Shani, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over charges bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery, impersonation, and unlawful control of a property in the United Kingdom (UK).
The Federal Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the FGN, alleged the defendants forged several documents, including a Nigerian international passport with No. A07535463 and the name Tali Shani, to support a claim to a property situated at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2.
The father of Ponfa Useni, Gen. Jeremiah Useni, the late former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was named in several counts as a co-conspirator.
More details later.