The Federal Government has arraigned Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Ponfa Useni, son of the late former Federal Capital Territory minister Jeremiah Useni, over alleged forgery connected to a property dispute in the United Kingdom.
The defendants appeared on Friday before Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja. They were docked on a twelve count charge filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants conspired to forge and use a Nigerian international passport in the name of an individual said to be linked to a contested property in London. The prosecution claimed that the disputed documents were used to advance ownership claims and related interests over the UK property.
Both Ozekhome and Useni pleaded not guilty to all charges when they were read in open court.
Following the plea, defence counsel applied for bail on behalf of the defendants. The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, did not oppose the applications.
Justice Oji granted bail to each defendant in the sum of ten million naira with one surety each in like sum. The court ordered that the sureties must own verifiable property within the Federal Capital Territory and directed the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court.
The judge adjourned the matter to a later date for continuation of trial.
