Bhadresh Gohil, James Ibori’s former UK Solicitor has launched appeal proceedings against his conviction according to a report in the Evening Standard today. The Evening Standard revealed allegations of Metropolitan Police corruption at the heart of Scotland Yard in relation to Gohil’s case just over a year ago.
Gohil has lodged Grounds of Appeal with the Court of Appeal after new evidence emerged of serious misconduct within the Met’s SCD6 Unit during the investigation.
Evening Standard disclosed that the Met was investigating claims that serving officers were bribed with up to £20,000 to leak sensitive information from the on-going investigation into both, Gohil and Ibori.
Invoices which seem to have been leaked from a RISC insider suggested Ibori hired a private detective agency – RISC Management Limited to assist with his defence lawyers.
In May, two senior RISC employees – Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey were arrested on suspicion of bribing a police officer. Both men deny the charges. At the same time, DC John McDonald – the Senior Investigating Officer on the case (officer who were reported to have taken the bribes) was also arrested.
In a further twist, Gohil has discovered that one of the jurors deciding his case was a “senior employee of the Department for International Development” — the Whitehall department which funded the Met’s SCD6 investigation into Ibori.
A spokesman for the department said: “We cannot comment on on-going legal proceedings.”
UPDATE
James Ibori's former lawyer in £50m case is appealing against his conviction after the Evening Standard revealed allegations of Met police corruption in his case.
London-based solicitor Bhadresh Gohil was jailed for 10 years in 2010 for helping client James Ibori, a former Nigerian state governor, squirrel away £50 million in bank accounts around the world.
Gohil has now lodged grounds of appeal after a Standard investigation revealed claims of corruption during the probe by Scotland Yard’s SCD6 unit into him and Ibori.
Last year, we disclosed the Met was investigating claims that serving officers were bribed with up to £20,000 to leak sensitive information from the ongoing criminal investigation into Ibori.
Leaked invoices suggested he hired private detectives from Mayfair-based agency RISC to obtain information from the police that would help his defence lawyers.
In May, two senior RISC employees, both former Met officers, were arrested on suspicion of bribing a police officer. Both men deny the charges. Gohil is using the allegations to appeal against his sentence on money laundering charges, while Scotland Yard is investigating the possibility that the corruption claims are manufactured.
Ibori, who admitted money laundering and corruption and was jailed for 13 years at Southwark crown court in April, is also using the claims to try to reduce the length of his sentence.
Both he and Gohil are also fighting asset confiscation hearings relating to millions of pounds worth of property.
Ibori, a former cashier at a Wickes DIY store in Ruislip, became governor of Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta state. He was jailed for channeling state funds into his bank accounts to buy a fleet of cars and a property portfolio that included four homes in Britain.
His regime is thought to have defrauded the Nigerian people of £157 million, including his personal share of £50 million, laundered in London via offshore companies.
In a further twist, Gohil also claims he has discovered that one of the jurors deciding his case was a “senior employee of the Department for International Development” — the Whitehall department which funded the Met’s SCD6 investigation into Ibori.
A spokesman for the department said: “We cannot comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
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