The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has taken over the criminal case instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against senior lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
The takeover stalled Ozekhome’s planned arraignment before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on a three-count charge filed by the ICPC, in which he is accused, among other allegations, of forgery.
At the court proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), announced that he was appearing on behalf of the Attorney General and informed the court of the decision to assume control of the prosecution from the ICPC. Oyedepo said the Attorney General acted pursuant to the powers conferred on his office under Section 174 of the Constitution.
Counsel for the ICPC, Osuebeni Akpomisingha, raised no objection to the takeover of the case. Likewise, counsel to the defendant, former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who led a defence team comprising 15 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, did not oppose the move.
Following an application for adjournment by Oyedepo, which was also not opposed by Agabi, the presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, adjourned the matter until February 24 for arraignment.
The case is linked to a long-running property dispute involving a London property connected to the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jeremiah Useni. The Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed January 26 to rule on the final forfeiture of the property after no individual or representative of Useni’s estate appeared within the statutory 14-day period to show cause why it should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The forfeiture proceedings stemmed from an ex parte application filed in late 2025 by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), which sought an interim forfeiture and preservation order, alleging that the property was acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity. On November 28, Justice Binta Nyako granted the interim forfeiture order and directed the CCB to advertise it in a national newspaper within 14 days to allow any interested party to come forward and establish legitimate ownership.
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