The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation has withdrawn the criminal proceedings instituted against senior advocate Mike Ozekhome by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The move followed a decision by the Attorney General to assume control of the matter, signalling a review of the prosecution strategy and future direction of the case.
With the withdrawal unopposed by the defence, the High Court struck out the three-count charge in which the legal practitioner was accused of forgery and related allegations.
At the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama on Tuesday, Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed Justice Peter Kekemeke that the Attorney General would take a comprehensive view of the matter before determining the next course of action.
Oyedepo recalled that on January 29 he had notified the court of the Attorney General’s decision to take over the prosecution from the ICPC, stating that the move was made pursuant to Section 174 of the Constitution and in collaboration with the anti-corruption agency.
He explained that the decision was driven by the need to ensure compliance “with the highest standards of effectiveness, efficiency, diligence, and compliance with due process of law,” adding that public interest considerations aimed at strengthening confidence and fairness in the justice system also informed the action.
According to the DPPF, the Attorney General further took into account interagency cooperation in the anti-corruption campaign and assured the court that the defendant’s rights would be safeguarded and that no party would suffer prejudice.
He subsequently asked the court to take judicial notice of the formal takeover and sought time for the Attorney General’s office to obtain the case file from the ICPC, review it and determine appropriate next steps.
