HURIWA hails withdrawal of charges against Mike Ozekhome, faults ICPC prosecution

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has applauded the withdrawal of criminal charges filed against constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), describing the prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as reckless and legally unsustainable.

The development followed proceedings on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, where the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that the Attorney General of the Federation had reviewed the matter. Acting on that position, Justice Peter Kekemeke struck out the three-count charge earlier instituted against Ozekhome.

In a statement issued in Abuja, HURIWA said the decision of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to reassess and withdraw the charges vindicated its long-standing position that the allegations were built on a distorted interpretation of a foreign civil property dispute.

According to the association, a detailed review of the London tribunal ruling — which reportedly formed the basis of the criminal allegations — did not indict Ozekhome nor establish any element of forgery or criminal wrongdoing.

Instead, HURIWA said the tribunal’s findings pointed to abuse of process driven by fabricated claims, disputed identities, and questionable documentation presented by other parties involved in the property dispute.

“The tribunal determined that Ozekhome had no prior knowledge of the disputed property before 2019 and was introduced to the transaction through Mr. Tali Shani. Allegations involving a fictitious ‘Ms. Tali Shani’ and fraudulent documentation were dismissed, while General Jeremiah Useni was confirmed as the sole legal owner of the property,” the statement read.

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The group further noted that any transfer of interest to Ozekhome, as highlighted in the tribunal findings, was considered a legitimate gesture of debt repayment or friendship, rather than an unlawful acquisition.

HURIWA added that the tribunal exposed alleged impersonation and forgery by the applicant in the foreign proceedings, leading to the rejection of her claims.

The rights body argued that, under Nigerian law, findings from foreign civil tribunals cannot automatically establish criminal liability. It cited Section 61 of the Evidence Act and the constitutional presumption of innocence as safeguards that remained in Ozekhome’s favour.

HURIWA maintained that the ICPC’s decision to convert what it described as a civil property disagreement into a criminal prosecution lacked legal foundation from the outset.

“The attempt to criminalise a civil dispute amounts to chasing shadows. Selective and poorly grounded prosecutions risk eroding public confidence in anti-corruption institutions,” the association stated.

While commending the Attorney General for exercising constitutional discretion to safeguard due process and fairness, HURIWA urged authorities to formally terminate what it described as a “vengeful and vexatious persecution.”

The association described Ozekhome as a prominent voice in Nigeria’s human rights movement, noting his decades of advocacy and legal representation in defence of civil liberties.

HURIWA concluded that the striking out of the charges should mark the definitive end of the matter and called on anti-corruption agencies to focus resources on cases capable of withstanding legal scrutiny.

The statement was signed by Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HURIWA, and dated February 24, 2026.