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The embattled former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, will be sentenced on Monday by the Southwark Crown Court in London.
The court had on February 27 fixed April 16 and 17 for the sentencing of the ex-governor of the oil-rich state after he pleaded guilty to 10 counts charges of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud.
Sunday Mirror recalls that Ibori decided on a plea bargain agreement with the UK police to shorten the case and get a lighter sentence in return.
Sunday Mirror gathered that Britain has reportedly spent over £14 million in pursuing the case while legal charges were equally eating into Ibori’s fortunes.
Ibori had been entangled in legal battles with the au-thorities in Nigeria, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom in the past four years.
His travails began in 2007 when he was arrested by the Nuhu Ribadu-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In the United Kingdom, the British police accused the flamboyant former governor of stealing about N60 billion (£250m or $400m) during his eight-year reign as governor from 1999 to 2007.
But the former governor was discharged and acquitted of the over 70 charges preferred against him by the EFCC before a Federal High Court in Asaba, the state’s Capital.
The former governor enjoyed a temporary reprieve before he was rearrested in Dubai on a British warrant in 2010 and then extradited.
In 2007, a UK court froze assets allegedly belonging to him worth $35 million.
His wife, Nkoyo; sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo; and London-based solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, were all convicted of money-launder offences in earlier trials.
Meanwhile, top officials of the Delta State Government and politicians in the state have moved to London to witness tomorrow’s end of the protracted legal battle.
Sunday Mirror gathered that those already in London included pro and anti-Ibori politicians.
It was further learnt that officials of the state government were in the UK in solidarity with the man who made it possible for their benefactor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to emerge as the chief executive of the state in the 2007 election.
Sunday Mirror recalls that Ibori decided on a plea bargain agreement with the UK police to shorten the case and get a lighter sentence in return.
Sunday Mirror gathered that Britain has reportedly spent over £14 million in pursuing the case while legal charges were equally eating into Ibori’s fortunes.
Ibori had been entangled in legal battles with the au-thorities in Nigeria, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom in the past four years.
His travails began in 2007 when he was arrested by the Nuhu Ribadu-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In the United Kingdom, the British police accused the flamboyant former governor of stealing about N60 billion (£250m or $400m) during his eight-year reign as governor from 1999 to 2007.
But the former governor was discharged and acquitted of the over 70 charges preferred against him by the EFCC before a Federal High Court in Asaba, the state’s Capital.
The former governor enjoyed a temporary reprieve before he was rearrested in Dubai on a British warrant in 2010 and then extradited.
In 2007, a UK court froze assets allegedly belonging to him worth $35 million.
His wife, Nkoyo; sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo; and London-based solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, were all convicted of money-launder offences in earlier trials.
Meanwhile, top officials of the Delta State Government and politicians in the state have moved to London to witness tomorrow’s end of the protracted legal battle.
Sunday Mirror gathered that those already in London included pro and anti-Ibori politicians.
It was further learnt that officials of the state government were in the UK in solidarity with the man who made it possible for their benefactor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to emerge as the chief executive of the state in the 2007 election.
It appears that events have taken over ,but big time crook, James Ibori, former governor of Delta State will be sentenced at the Crown Court at Southwark on Monday 16 April 2012.
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I have just taken a look at the Daily List for Monday 16 April 2012 of the court and saw viz:
The Crown Court
at Southwark
Daily List for Monday 16 April 2012 at English Grounds, off Battlebridge Lane
Court 9- sitting at 10:00 AM
BEFORE: HIS HONOUR JUDGE PITTS
For Sentence
T20117192IBORI James O
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I will love to witness the sentence.
Just a pity it's only Oga James Ibori, the Ogidigborigbo of Oghara is headed to jail! where are the rest with whom he was able to perfect these political crimes? the bankers, aides, party members, fellow governors like Bola Tinubu and Victor Attah - two former governors with whom he did the v-mobile scam.
Looks like they have changed their roles to spectators who will watch and read about the verdict from the comfort of their homes within and outside Nigeria with the assurances that their loots are safe for future use.
The sentencing of Ibori on the same sets of facts which our smart Lawyers and even smarter Judges acquitted him is a national embarrassment. Awokunlehun should bury his head in shame!
Of all 36 Governors who served from 1999 till date with Ibori, all are roaming free on Bail having 'purchased' vide the legal system 'stay of proceedings pending appeal'. Some are today law makers, ministers, ambassadors - Ken Nnamani, Turaki, Odili, Uzor Kalu etc.
Take Odili for example: a law is on the move in Rivers state that will endow magnanimous profits to former governors and their deputies. And if this law does not miss road in the state House of Assembly, then a person like Dr. Peter Odili, a former Governor of Rivers State, is about to benefit from the proposed bill labeled, “Rivers State Public Office Holders (Payment of Pension) Bill 2012”. Odili would be given two houses in any area of his choice in Abuja and Rivers State, should the bill be passed.
I find it truly disgraceful that all they did was to share their loot with the high and mighty and evade justice. Corruption can only be curbed the day that our lawyers decide to shun these corrupt governors- and our judges stop aiding them by devising all manner of crooked tactics.
But this week's event might make Ibori regret pleading guilty prematurely.
Yesterday Chief James Ibori’s financial advisor, Mr. Elias Nimho Preko became a free man after a London jury Friday found him not guilty on 3 charges bordering on forgery and money laundering.
The jury was however hung on 2 other counts of money laundering brought against him by the Crown Prosecution.
Preko was charged alongside former the Delta State Governor, but Ibori surprisingly pleaded guilty to 10 select charges.
But the Crown Prosecution pressed ahead charging Preko on 5 counts bordering on money laundering and forgery. After a few weeks of a keenly contested trial, he was acquitted on 3 counts and the jury was hung on 2.
After the jury’s verdict inside the Southwark Crown Court, a frustrated Crown Prosecution had immediately moved for a retrial on the 2-counts the jury failed to agree on but the judge blocked their request and directed that they give it some more thoughts and thereafter adjourned to Wednesday April 17, 2012.
Preko was represented by fellow Nigerian Oba Nsugne, QC.
I hold the view that lawyers- particularly senior lawyers hold the key to ending sleaze in our governance.
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