A legal expert has told Nigeria Info 99.3FM that Nigeria was right to look again at evidence against Mike Ozekhome after a UK court found documents linked to the late Gen. Jeremiah Useni’s London property were falsified.
Speaking with Jimi Disu on the Daily Digest, Oluwatodimu Ige (OgaTheLawyer), said the UK court “did not say it was a mistake.
They said they were forged,” and that the finding is serious because the papers in question included national documents.
“Forgery of national documents, like forgery of the international passport, forgery of the NIN… is also a crime in Nigeria,” he said.
The legal expert explained that even if the UK case was civil, criminal rules can apply in Nigeria because the falsified papers are statutory documents issued by the federal government.
“If anybody is in possession of a forged document… then such a person should be tried,” he said.
He also reminded listeners that suspects remain innocent until proven guilty.
“Of course, everybody is innocent until that crime is proven,” he said, adding that Nigeria’s law allows prosecutors to open criminal enquiries when statutory documents are falsified.
The expert warned that “ignorance of the law is not an excuse. If you have tendered the document that is needed to be falsified, you are culpable.”
He also noted that the recent cases involving senior lawyers could damage the profession unless courts sort facts quickly and fairly.
He then urged caution in public debate. Lawyers must protect the bar’s reputation by letting courts and investigators do their job.
“We are supposed to be ministers in the temple of justice," Mr Ige added.
"It is our obligation to compel people to obey the law.
It is quite unfortunate that we are where we are, and we hope people will uphold the sanctity of the Bar."
