The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has formally assumed control of the criminal case instituted against senior advocate Mike Ozekhome (SAN) by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The takeover, announced on Monday, halted the planned arraignment of Ozekhome before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, where he is facing a three-count charge bordering on alleged forgery.
At the court session, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that he was acting on behalf of the Attorney General.
He explained that the AGF exercised his constitutional authority under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to take over the prosecution from the ICPC.
Counsel to the ICPC, Osuebeni Akpomisingha, raised no objection to the development.
The defence team, led by former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN), and comprising 15 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, also did not oppose the decision.
Following an application for adjournment by the prosecution, which was unchallenged by the defence, Justice Peter Kekemeke adjourned the matter to February 24 for arraignment.
The criminal charge against Ozekhome is linked to a long-running dispute over ownership of a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London.
The property has been associated with the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni (retd).
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed January 26 to rule on the final forfeiture of the London property to the Federal Government.
The forfeiture proceedings followed an ex parte application filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau in late 2025, alleging that the property was acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity.
Justice Binta Nyako had earlier granted an interim forfeiture order, directing the bureau to advertise the order and invite any interested party to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited.
No representative of Useni’s estate reportedly appeared within the statutory period.
The property dispute had also been litigated before the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in the United Kingdom, where competing claims were made by Ozekhome and individuals identified as “Mr” and “Ms” Tali Shani.
The tribunal ultimately dismissed all claims, ruling that neither claimant existed and that documents presented in support of ownership were not genuine.
The AGF’s decision to take over the case places the prosecution firmly under federal control, as the matter proceeds to its next stage in court.
