James Ibori ‘Freed’ after 13 Years Jail Term In UK
…Re-arrested for Stealing 250 Million Pounds Delta State Fund
*Fresh Charge dwells on Confiscation of his ill-gotten Assets
*Money Laundering, Financial Crimes case holds June 2016
*How his Phone Lines were Budged, Movement Tracked before Arrest
*Dragged by UK Security Agents to unknown Prison to evade Escape, cuts Access to Friends
*British Govt fears Escape to Nigeria will lead to Perpetual Court Injunction against Extradition
*UK shows Support on Nigeria’s Govt Fight against Corruption
*PLUS ex-Delta State Governor Depressed, Dejected & Sad
BY SAMSON SHOAGA/MANAGING EDITOR, presently in LONDON
THIS is surely not the best of times for James Onanefe Ibori, a-two time former Governor of Delta States who earlier reigned supreme in Nigeria’s corridor of power as ‘untouchable’, to the extent that his similar Court charges in Nigeria were thrown away by the judiciary for ‘lack-of-credible evidence’. After he was convicted in United Kingdom (UK) for fraud and served 13 years of his life in Her Majesty’s Prison in Bedford, outside London; his freedom was short-lived, as he was re-arrested by eagle eye British Security operatives on fresh charges of stealing a huge sum of 250 Million Pounds belonging to Delta State to acquire various forms of assets seen as proceeds of financial crimes.
While on release from Her Majesty’s Prison in Bedford, outside of London by prison authorities on January 22, 2016, Ibori, according to an eye witness was chauffeured to one of his exotic mansions in London. He had stretched his body severally, started making frantic phone calls to Nigeria on how he will eventually be received in a tumultuous celebration, such that the uproarious of his welcome party will be deafening and be heard probably in Aso Rock, Nigeria’s seat of power.
Ibori had allegedly barked out orders to some of his close aides to ensure that his welcome party is transmitted LIVE on major broadcast stations in the country, while cover page advertorials are carried out on cover of major traditional and some online media platforms. Over the phone, Committee of ‘Ibori Return’ were already in place to ensure a hitch free ceremony, while top Nigerian musicians were already contacted.
All of the plans put up by Ibori soon collapsed ‘like a park pf card’ when British Security operatives budged his cellphone lines, track his movement and eventually close him up in his luxurious home and confronted him that he was under arrest, after showing him a fresh warrant. This happened few days after his release from prison. He was obviously sad, looking dejected and heart-broken while been taken away to unknown prison.
“Truth is, James Ibori is feared and seen to be extremely very wealthy and could escape anywhere in UK if he knows there were fresh charges awaiting him. It is believed in British Security circles that once Ibori escaped to Nigeria, he will get court perpetual injunction against arrest by Nigerian or Interpol arrest and extradition of any kind. We knew when he was released. Don’t forget, he was also initially at the Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire. His phone lines were budged to monitor his conversation and track his movement. It was also an open secret that all these classified information were kept discreet so that Ibori would not get to hear about them. British Government does not play with any issue bothering on money laundering, stealing and ill-gotten assets accumulation. His fresh trial which borders on ill-gotten assets and proceeds of crimes to the tune of 250 Million Pounds stolen from Delta State Government, Nigeria earlier slated for May will now hold on June 2016. This latest action is in British Government support on anti-corruption fight of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari,” our security source not privileged to talk to the press confided.
For the records, Ibori, 57 years old was jailed 13 years for using UK financial institutions to launder hundreds of millions of pound sterling he stole from public funds in Delta State. He began his adventure to jail with his arrest on May 13, 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates under Interpol arrest warrants, issued from UK courts and enacted by the Metropolitan Police.
It was reported that Ibori had earlier made a mockery of Nigeria’s legal system, walking away free from the multi-billion fraud charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, including the $15 million bribe he offered the then EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.
Facts in UK confirmed that Ibori’s case and extradition became one of the longest, most complex and expensive operations mounted by Scotland Yard in recent years. Prosecutors alleged that companies owned by Ibori and his family were beneficiaries from the sale of state assets, including shares in Econet, a GSM telephone operator, as well as crude oil deliveries.
Before his conviction, UK juries two years earlier found James Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, guilty on counts of money laundering, in a verdict delivered at the Southwark Crown Court, London.
On February 27, 2012, Ibori himself was docked, accused of stealing US$250 million from the Nigerian public purse. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. Among possessions confiscated were a house in Hampstead, north London, for £2.2million, a property in Shaftesbury, Dorset for £311,000, A £3.2m mansion in Sandton, near Johannesburg South Africa , a fleet of armoured Range Rovers valued at £600,000,a £120,000 Bentley Continental GT, A Mercedes-Benz Maybach bought for €407,000 cash, that was shipped direct to his mansion in South Africa
After the sentencing hearing, Sue Patten, head of the Crown Prosecution Service central fraud group, said it would bid to confiscate the assets Ibori had acquired his riches “at the expense of the some of the poorest people in the world.
Also jailed with him apart from his sister and mistress were his wife, Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, his lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil and his financial advisors, Daniel McCann and Lambertus De Boer. While in prison, Ibori continued to exercise a lot of influence on the politics of his Delta state, with the present governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, regarded as one of his disciples.
Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, two term governor of the state, who succeeded him in 2007 is his uncle.
Born in Oghara, Ibori was educated at Baptist High school, now Oghareki Grammar School. From there, he went to the University of Benin, where he studied economics and statistics. After his university education, he moved to the UK, where he worked at Wickes DIY, married his wife, Theresa and tainted his record with two convictions for theft and credit card fraud, that were to later haunt his political career in Nigeria. He became governor of Delta state in 1999 and held forte for eight years.
British Security sources strongly share in the belief that taken Ibori to unknown prison for safety to await court trial, cut off from friends, associates to evade escape to Nigeria was the best move they have made.
