ABUJA: The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has formally taken over the prosecution of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, in the alleged fraud case instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Ozekhome was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over allegations bordering on forgery linked to a United Kingdom property transaction.
When the case was called, Dr Osuebeni Akpomesingha announced his appearance for the prosecution, while former AGF and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, led other counsel for the defendant.
At that point, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, announced his appearance on behalf of the AGF and informed the court of the Federal Government’s decision to take over the case from the ICPC.
Oyedepo said the takeover was pursuant to Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, adding that the Office of the AGF would collaborate with the ICPC to ensure effective, diligent and fair prosecution in line with due process.
He said the decision was guided by public interest and aimed at promoting confidence, fairness and competence in the criminal justice system, while assuring the court that the defendant’s rights would be fully protected.
Oyedepo also cited inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption as a key consideration and urged the court to take judicial notice of the takeover.
The AGF consequently sought an adjournment to enable his office retrieve and review the case file from the ICPC before determining the next line of action.
Counsel to the ICPC raised no objection, assuring the court of the commission’s full cooperation, having investigated the matter.
By agreement of parties, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned the case until February 24 for arraignment.
In the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/010/26, dated January 16, Ozekhome is the sole defendant.
In the three-count charge, ICPC alleged that Ozekhome, sometime in August 2021 in London, received a property located at No. 79, Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, purportedly from one Mr Shani Tali, knowing the act constituted a felony, contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 24 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The second count alleged that Ozekhome made a false document, a Nigerian passport bearing the name of Mr Shani to support ownership claims over the property, an offence punishable under the Penal Code of the FCT.
In the third count, the senior lawyer was accused of dishonestly using the said passport as genuine, knowing it to be false.
