By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal charge over alleged forgery filed against senior advocate, Mike Ozekhome.
The withdrawal was announced on Tuesday, February 24, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Rotimi Oyedepo, informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) had decided to take a holistic look at the case and determine the most appropriate course of action.
The application was not opposed by the defence team led by Paul Erokoro.
Justice Kekemeke granted the application and struck out the three count charge against the senior lawyer.
Recall that Ozekhome had been arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery and other related offences in a case earlier instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In the three-count criminal charge filed against him at the FCT High Court in Abuja, the ICPC accused him of alleged fraud, forgery, and use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in London.
According to the prosecutors, Ozekhome is alleged to have knowingly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which he claimed was gifted to him, and then allegedly used a forged Nigerian passport in support of that claim.
They argued that both acts contravened provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and the FCT Penal Code.
Oyedepo, had on January 29, notified the court of the AGF’s decision to take over the prosecution from the ICPC.
Oyedepo noted that the takeover was pursuant to Section 174 of the Constitution which empowers the Attorney General of the Federation to institute, take over or discontinue criminal proceedings.
