The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has suspended prominent lawyer Mike Ozekhome from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings against him.
The decision was reached at the committee’s 173rd general meeting held on June 23, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by Kabir Akanbi, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court.
The committee said the suspension was approved in line with Paragraph 26(6) of the guidelines governing the conferment and regulation of the SAN rank.
According to the LPPC, the suspension will remain in effect until disciplinary proceedings before its Ethics and Disciplinary Sub-Committee, as well as other related matters, are concluded.
“The suspension is intended to preserve the integrity, dignity and prestige of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria while the issues under consideration are being determined,” the committee stated.
It further directed Ozekhome to refrain from presenting or describing himself as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria until a final decision is reached.
The development comes as Ozekhome faces trial alongside Ponfa Useni, son of the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jeremiah Useni, over allegations relating to the use of a forged Nigerian passport in a property dispute in the United Kingdom.
The pair were arraigned in February before Justice Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, on a 12-count charge.
They pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N10 million each, with one surety in like amount.
The case revolves around ownership claims to a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2 7SX.
Ozekhome had maintained that the property was gifted to him in 2021 by a man identified as Tali Shani.
However, lawyers representing another claimant, who identified herself as Tali Shani, challenged the claim and asserted ownership of the property.
During proceedings before a UK property tribunal, witnesses presented conflicting accounts and documents relating to the ownership of the property.
Following its review, the tribunal reportedly found several documents tendered in support of the competing claims to be fraudulent and ultimately dismissed all ownership claims, ruling that neither “Mr Tali Shani” nor “Ms Tali Shani” existed.
The disciplinary proceedings against Ozekhome are expected to continue while the LPPC reviews the circumstances surrounding the case.
