A London property tribunal has exposed how late General Jeremiah Useni, a former minister of FCT, bought a property in the United Kingdom in 1993 with a false identity.
The ruling of the court, shared on X by Adam Wren, director of Open Justice UK, also thwarted the move to transfer ownership of the property to Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) last week, ruled against both parties in the case Tali Shani v Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome [2025] UKFTT 1090 (PC), after finding that the alleged former owner “Ms. Tali Shani” was a fictitious identity created decades ago by the late Useni to conceal his purchase of a house at 79 Randall Avenue, Neasden, North London.
The tribunal found that Useni, who died in France in January 2025, bought the property in November 1993 but registered it under the false name “Tali Shani,” echoing a nickname he had used before. Rental income records later traced back to him confirmed his control of the asset for years.
The dispute erupted after Ozekhome, applied in 2021 to register the house in his name, claiming it had been transferred to him through a power of attorney and a signed deed. His application was challenged by representatives of the supposed “Ms. Shani,” who claimed to be the true owner.
However, the court established that “Ms. Shani” never appeared in person, her identity documents were fabricated, and even her reported death in October 2024 was supported by forged paperwork. Her alleged “son,” Ayodele Damola, also failed to convince the tribunal of any legitimate claim.
Judge Ewan Paton dismissed both sides’ cases, ruling that Ozekhome could not have acquired ownership through a fraudulent transfer and that “Ms. Shani” never had any real existence.
The tribunal concluded that the property legally remains in the name of “Ms. Tali Shani,” despite the court’s finding that she was a fictitious creation.
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