JUST IN: NIS disowns passport tendered by Ozekhome in Useni's London property dispute
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has faulted the authenticity of the Nigerian passport tendered in the London proceedings in the dispute over a property traced to the late former Minister
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has faulted the authenticity of the Nigerian passport tendered in the London proceedings in the dispute over a property traced to the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the late General Jeremiah Useni.
An official of the NIS, Aridegbe Akim (who said he is Principal Staff Officer to the Comptroller General of Immigration), said his organisation has no record of the passport, with number: A07535463, purportedly issued in the name of Tali Shani.
Akim spoke on Thursday at the resumption of proceedings in the trial of Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Ponfa Useni for allegedly forging documents, including an international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney, and engaging in impersonation to lay claim to a property in London allegedly acquired unlawfully by the late Useni.
Under cross-examination by Ozekhome's lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Akim said the NIS has electronic records of all passports issued monthly in its database.
Akim, who is the first prosecution witness (PW1), said the NIS system operates in a manner that once a name is inserted, it produces the particulars and history of that person.
He said, "But, on inserting the name of Tali Shani, no record was found.”
Under cross-examination by Useni's lawyer, F. R. Onoja (SAN), the witness confirmed that the Nigerian passports are described as machine-readable documents, adding that the passports have specific features that are readable by specific machines.
Akim said the NIS has the record of all the passports it issued in its database.
He also said that the NIS operates a process, which includes payment breeder documents, enrolment, production, and issuance, which were not found in the database of the Tali Shani passport.
He explained that after an online payment is made for a passport, the database generates the record, the breeder documents are then generated and inputted into the system, along with the National Identification Number (NIN).
When told by Onoja that the Tali Shani passport looked the same as the ones issued by the NIS, the witness agreed, but added that each passport bears a unique number.
The witness added that it is the manufacturer that generates the unique number for every passport.
At the conclusion of the cross-examination, prosecuting lawyer, A R Tahir, asked for a date to call the prosecution's second witness, a request that was not opposed by lawyers to the defence.
Justice Chizoba Oji then adjourned further hearing till May 18.
Ozekhome and Useni are being prosecuted before a High Court of the FCT by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on a 12-count charge in which they are, among others, accused of forging documents, including an international passport and an irrevocable power of attorney and engaging in impersonation to lay claim to a property in London allegedly acquired unlawfully by the late Useni.
Some counts in the charge read:
*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Ponfa Useni, and General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased), sometime between the 30th day of May, 2020, and 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a false Nigerian International Passport No. A07535463 with the name Tali Shani, and purported same to have been issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service with the intent of using the same to support your claim of ownership to a property known as No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 363 of the Penal Code Act CAP 532 Laws of the FCT 2006 and punishable under section 364 of the same Act.
*That you Ponfa Useni (aka Tali Shani), Male, Adult of 12 Dagash M. Street, Kado Estate, Phase 1, Abuja on or about the 30th day of May,2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court falsely personated Tani Shani, a fictitious person and with such assumed character made a Power of Attorney wherein you held yourself out as Tali Shani and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 179 of the Penal Code Act, CAP 532 LFCT 2006 and punishable under the same section of the same Act.
*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, sometime in 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, abetted the commission of an offence to wit: personation of one Tali Shani by Ponfa Useni who with such assumed false character made and executed with you as a party, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated the 30th day of May,2020 to facilitate your claim of ownership of the property lying, being and situate at No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 85 of the Penal Code Act 2006 and punishable under section 179 of the same Act.
*That you Ponfa Useni on or about the 30th day of May, 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, cheated by personation when you pretended to be one Tali Shani, a fictitious person, and with such assumed character executed an Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated the 30th day of May, 2020, with Chief Mike. A. A Ozekhome SAN, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 321 of the Penal Code Act 532 LFCT 2006 and punishable under section 322 of the same section of the same Act.
*That you, Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, Male, Adult of 55 Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, sometime in 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had under your control a property known as No. 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, United Kingdom which property is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained by General Jeremiah Useni (now deceased) with a fictitious name Tali Shani, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 319A of the Penal Code Act, 2006
