By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal charge filed against senior advocate Mike Ozekhome over alleged forgery.
The withdrawal was announced on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General of the Federation has decided to take a holistic review of the case to determine the most appropriate course of action.
Following the application, which was not opposed by the defence team led by Paul Erokoro (SAN), the court struck out the three-count charge against Ozekhome.
Ozekhome had earlier been arraigned on allegations bordering on forgery and other related offences in a case initially instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to court filings, the ICPC accused the senior lawyer of alleged fraud, forgery and the use of false documents in connection with a disputed property in London.
Prosecutors alleged that Ozekhome knowingly received a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX, which he claimed was gifted to him, and that he allegedly used a forged Nigerian passport in support of that claim.
The prosecution argued that the alleged acts contravened provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act as well as the FCT Penal Code.
On January 29, 2026, Rotimi Oyedepo had informed the court of the Attorney General’s decision to take over the prosecution from the ICPC, explaining that the move was pursuant to Section 174 of the Constitution, which empowers the Attorney General of the Federation to institute, take over or discontinue criminal proceedings.
He said the decision was taken in collaboration with the ICPC and was aimed at ensuring that the prosecution meets the highest standards of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence and compliance with due process.
Oyedepo added that public interest considerations, inter-agency cooperation in the fight against corruption, and the need to instil confidence, fairness and competence in the criminal justice system guided the decision.
He further assured the court that the rights of the defendant would be protected and that no party would suffer injustice during the review of the case.
The Director of Public Prosecution subsequently urged the court to take judicial notice of the formal takeover of the trial by the Attorney General’s office and sought an adjournment to enable the retrieval and review of the case file from the ICPC.
Justice Kekemeke granted the application and struck out the charge.
