The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed criminal charges against senior lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, over alleged fraud connected to a property in London.
The anti-corruption agency filed a three-count charge at the Abuja High Court, accusing Ozekhome of complicity in a large-scale corruption case. The charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/010/26, was dated and filed on January 16, 2026, with Ozekhome named as the sole defendant.
According to the ICPC, the charges were filed by its lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Head of the High Profile Prosecution Department.
In the first count, the commission alleged that Ozekhome, 68, of No. 53 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in August 2021 in London, directly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, allegedly given to him by one Mr Shani Tali. The ICPC said the act constitutes a felony, contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The second count accused the senior lawyer of making a false document in August 2021 while acting as a legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The commission alleged that Ozekhome created a Nigerian passport bearing the name Shani Tali with passport number A07535463, with the intent of using it to support a claim of ownership of the London property. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 363 and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In the third count, Ozekhome was accused of dishonestly using the same allegedly false Nigerian passport as a genuine document to support his claim to the property, despite having reason to know that the document was false. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 366 and punishable under Section 364 of the same Penal Code.
In support of the charges, the ICPC attached several exhibits, including a judgment with case number REF/2023/0155 dated September 11, 2025, an extra-judicial statement by the defendant dated January 12, 2026, interim forfeiture proceedings relating to the London property, a letter dated December 18, 2025, the data page of Shani Tali’s passport, and other relevant documents.
The commission also listed its witnesses, including ICPC investigators Wakili Musa, Tosin Olayiwola, Ebenezer Nduo, and Blessing Monokpo. A representative of the Nigerian Immigration Service is also expected to testify, alongside other witnesses who may be called by subpoena or through an additional witness list.
As of the time of filing the report, the case had not yet been assigned to a judge.
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