A former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori who was jailed in Britain for laundering tens of millions of dollars in stolen public funds through British banks and properties lost an appeal against his conviction in London on Wednesday.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling against Ibori, is a relief for the British authorities at a time when they are trying to stem the flow of dirty money from overseas through London.
Ibori, who in his heyday was one of Nigeria’s richest and most powerful men, pleaded guilty in a London court in 2012 to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering involving sums amounting to at least 50 million pounds ($66 million).
He received a 13-year jail sentence of which he served half, as is common in the British system, and is now back in Nigeria.
Anti-corruption campaigners had hailed the case as a milestone for Nigeria, where no one of his stature had been successfully prosecuted, and for its former colonial ruler Britain, long seen as too complacent about the proceeds of Nigerian corruption being laundered in the UK.
Ibori owned multi-million-pound homes in Britain, South Africa and United States, including an English country house near the private school where his children were being educated. He also owned a Jaguar and a Bentley and was buying a $20-million private jet at the time of his arrest.
This contrasted sharply with the situation in Delta State, a maze of mangrove creeks criss-crossed by pipelines and plagued by violent conflict over access to oil money, where most people make do without electricity or clean water.
Wednesday’s ruling will allow Britain to resume efforts to confiscate millions of dollars’ worth of assets and return them to Nigerian public coffers. The assets have been frozen for years while the case has been dragging through the courts.
Tag: Ibori
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Ibori loses appeal against UK graft conviction
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Ibori appeals against UK fraud conviction
Ex-Governor of Delta state James Ibori on Wednesday filed an appeal against his conviction in United Kingdom, alleging corruption in the ranks of British police.
Ibori was released from a jail in December 2016 after serving half of his 13-year sentence, as is normal in Britain.
The former governor had pleaded guilty to laundering a stolen fortune in Britain.
He returned to Nigeria in February 2017.
The British authorities intend to confiscate Ibori’s about 90 million pounds ($130 million) assets, which have since been frozen.
The appeal hearing, being held before three judges at London’s Court of Appeal, is due to last three days.
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2019: Vote in the right leaders, Ibori tells electorate
A former Governor of Delta, Mr James Ibori, on Thursday urged Nigerians to take the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration seriously to enable them to vote for the right candidates during elections.
Ibori, who is also the publisher of The Independent Newspapers Ltd., said this at the company’s Annual Thanksgiving service held at its premises in Lagos.
He said that massive participation of the electorate in the exercise as well as voting their choice of leaders was the only way they could effect good leadership.
“You should hold your leaders accountable by going to register and vote in the right leaders.
“You should know that your vote counts; times are changing, your voter card is your strength,” he said.
The publisher, while addressing members of staff, urged them to speak the truth at all times and to be hardworking.
“The business model for publishing a newspaper has changed; we need to change with it. You as journalists should be fearless because it is your duty to speak the truth to those in power,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Lagos Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola urged Nigerians to always give thanks to God, no matter their situation.
“We must give thanks to God, our creator, no matter our situation; it is the only way to obtain God’s blessings and favour.
“In thanking God, we are making our requests known to him; we will get more blessing and God will surely come to the aid of the people and the country at large if we continue to thank him,” he said.
Bamgbola urged Nigerians to live holy and exemplary lives by shunning negative tendencies, saying that it was only righteousness that could exalt an individual and a nation.
The thanksgiving service was to appreciate God for preserving the lives of staff members of the Independent Newspapers in 2017 and seeing them through to 2018.
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Tambuwal, Wike, Okowa, Ibori hold discreet meeting in Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state, Wednesday played host to governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, barely three days after the National Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
Also present with them in Asaba was the former governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori who was not present at the PDP convention.
Chief Ibori made a surprise showing at the Cenotaph, venue of the products exhibition by beneficiaries of the skills acquisition programmes of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in Delta State.
Government sources believed that the governors coming together in Asaba cannot be unconnected to discreet political permutations in the build up to 2019.
Earlier in the day, the governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike had commissioned a road constructed by Okowa administration.
Speaking during the exhibition former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori said: “I am pleased that you have invited me. My duty is to pray for you. The day Deltans voted for you, they did so with the confidence that you will deliver, and you are delivering.
“I am a Deltan, and I do have a voice on matters that bother on the peace and progress of Delta State. I may be watching from the sidelines, I want to say again that you (Okowa) are doing well. At the end of your eight-year tenure, Delta will be better for it. Your Excellency, we are solidly behind you”, he added.
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2019: Wike storms Delta, meets Okowa, Ibori for reconciliation talks
Ahead of the its repositioning strategy towards the 2019 general elections, the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee and Executive Governor of Rivers State, Barrister Nyesom Wike on Saturday arrived Delta State in company of his governor colleague, Senator Patrick Okowa for a reconciliatory meeting with former governor, James Ibori.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the meeting was held in the Oghara country home of Ibori.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the former Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Ike Uche Secondus, Senator Lee Maeba, Ambassador Desmond Akawor, Hon Tammy Danagogo and Hon Austin Okpara were among other PDP chieftains that accompanied Wike to the meeting with Ibori.
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PDP nominates Ibori into convention committee
Former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, has been nominated into the National Convention Planning Committee for Friday’s Special Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ibori, is No 41 in the main organising committee list. He was, however, absent at the inaugural meeting of the committee on Wednesday.
Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa is the chairman of the committee.
Ibori’s media aide, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, said that there was nothing unusual for Ibori to be in the committee.
“It is a privilege given to every former PDP governor. Ibori is a former governor, and he has not left PDP. So there in nothing unusual in his name being included in the list.
“He was invited to the last NEC (National Executive Committee) meeting but he did not attend,” Eluemunor added.
He however, said he was not in position to say if the former governor will be at Eagle Square for Friday’s convention.
Ibori has not attended any public political meeting since he returned to the country last year after he was released from prison.
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Saraki, Okowa, Ibori, others hail Sen. Nwaoboshi at 60
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, former Governor James Ibori on Sunday celebrated Senator representing Delta North, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, as he marks his 60th anniversary.
Speaking at the Thanksgiving Mass for Sen. Nwaoboshi at St Augustine’s Catholic Church, Ibusa, they speak of his importance to his constituents, and all called for a united Nigeria.
Speaking at the occasion, Saraki said, “I want to assure the clergy that we will continue to seek for your prayers for this great country of ours; the challenges facing the country are enormous, it goes beyond roads and infrastructure; the peace and unity of this country is paramount and should be upheld but, equity and Justice where every Nigerian has a say must be the watchword.”
The Senate President who congratulated Senator Nwaoboshi stated that the Senate is one family and would ensure that Nigerians get their dues.
Governor Okowa begged, “the church should continue to pray for politicians for they work under very serious circumstances; we will continue to encourage ourselves to be good representatives of our people; we need the partnership of all Nigerians and Deltans to develop our communities and we will continue to support the Senate in its defense of democracy.”Okowa who hailed Senator Nwaoboshi, saying, “people of Delta North supports him and as Delta Northerners, we are very proud of him as Senator representing us.”
Additionally, Former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori in his speech, observed, “In a democratic dispensation, you have assigned duties – it is the duty of the legislature to make laws, the executive to implement the laws and the civil society elders and clergy will tell the truth to those in power.”
“I am yet to see an elected officer that does not have the interest of the people at heart,” the former Governor reiterated, disclosing that Senator Peter Nwaoboshi is a committed son of Anioma (Delta North) who fought for the emergence of a Delta Northerner as Governor.
Elated Senator Nwaoboshi at the occasion, said he had every reason to thank God on his 60th birthday, noting that selfish, ethnic interests are put aside in the interest of the nation.
“We have more APC (All Progressive Congress) Senators here than PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) Senators in this church, and it tell you that we think of Nigeria rather than seif, party or ethnic interests because, the Senate President has made it fir us to think and work for only Nigeria,” Senator Nwaoboshi said.
The event was attended by more than 40 Senators, including Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan; and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio. Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Leo Ogor was also at the service which was attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and his Niger Delta counterpart, Uguru Usani.
Other are, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Leo Ogor was also at the service which was attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and his Niger Delta counterpart, Uguru Usani.
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Legal victory demonstrates Ibori as victim of UK’s ongoing political persecution
The profound victory which Chief James Onanefe Ibori won on Monday against the British Home Secretary must be not be understated. This was not about the £1 nominal damages but the significantly greater victory over just how the UK political establishment blatantly attempted to restrain a free man. The victory was greater for the principle.
Ibori’s Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor said in a statement that “some media outfits, focused their reports on the frivolous, and disdained the serious mocking the £1, nominal damages. In doing so they missed the obvious – how again Chief Ibori was victimised and oppressed by the UK government and how a British High Court found in his favour and maligned the British Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) failures.
The CPS’s failures have embarrassed both the Home Secretary – Amber Rudd and the UK Establishment that continue to cover-up its misconduct. This action demonstrates the political nature of the Ibori and linked prosecutions in the UK.
In his Statement, Eluemunor added that the Judge also stated that “If costs cannot be agreed between the parties “I will make a determination on written representations”. This concluding paragraph in that judgment thus makes it abundantly clear Ibori won all his legal costs, which will be determined later.
Article 14 in the judgment clearly states that one of the issues at stake was that the British Secretary of State for the Home Department, Amber Rudd would not concede that she had unlawfully detained the claimant over 20th and 21st December 2016”. Such an admission would have damaged her political status but more so, her lack of judgment and adherence to the rule of law.
At issue here is that Ibori’s Human Rights had been violated, but stretched significantly further, that detention is part of the long list of political persecutions he has faced both in Nigeria and Britain.
The Judge also found that “the Home Secretary had failed to have regard to the limits on her power to detain. The principle of public law that statutory powers must be used for the purpose for which they were conferred and not for some other purpose has been breached”.
Was the UK Home Secretary so badly advised that she would readily break the law, if so by whom and for what reason for this course of action was proposed – this is the key question that should now be asked.
The Judge added: “And by the time Mr. Ibori reached his conditional release date the Home Secretary had been told in the clearest terms that the next hearing for that purpose on 3rd February 2017 was merely to mention the case and it should have been obvious on a rational analysis that detention from 20th December 2016 pending the resolution of the financial proceedings would not be detention for a reasonable period in all the circumstances”. This, said Eluemunor, shows Ibori was to be detained indefinitely, just to keep him away from Nigeria – for political reasons only and not as part of any alleged anti-corruption drive.
Not surprisingly, the Judge blamed the Crown Prosecution Service for the illegality, saying, “In this case the Home Secretary – Amber Rudd has been wrong-footed by the failure of the prosecution to achieve determination of its confiscation proceedings against Mr. Ibori’
This however fails to recognise that Chief Ibori’s confiscation hearings actually took place in September 2013. The Judge could make no findings of any theft from the Delta State. The sums alleged to have been stolen have now apparently dwindled down to £17m, the last amount widely mentioned last December instead of the other wild figures the were routinely mouthed. In fact, the forensic evidence demonstrates, there has been no theft from the Delta State.
Eluemunor said that “this adds to the UK’s problems in the Ibori and linked cases. The London Met Police itself is facing serious corruption allegations, the original prosecutors in the case have been removed and they stand accused of prosecutorial misconduct. The Department for International Development (DfID) which funded the investigations and trials is now facing an almighty exposure for its disregard for the rule of law in the Ibori and related cases.
Eluemunor said that, “understandably, many newspapers unwittingly fell victim of media manipulation when they followed they cue of a London evening newspaper to leave the essence of the judgment – the illegalities Ibori suffered in the London trial – and focused on trivialities.
Ibori’s appeal against his conviction will shortly begin in the Court of Appeal. His lawyers will bring significant evidence to show that what Ibori faced was political persecution and not legal prosecution, and most importantly, that no evidence was brought before the court to prove that Ibori stole any money from Delta State.
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Ibori wins legal battle over unlawful detention
Former governor of Delta State, JamesIbori has won a High Court declaration that he was unlawfully detained by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.
But a judge ruled that Ibori, who claimed £4,000 in damages for breaches of his human rights, is only entitled to a nominal £1 of the sum.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb declared he was unlawfully held for one day, 18 hours and 10 minutes between December 20 and 21 last year.
She said the Home Secretary “failed to have regard to her limits to detain” as attempts were made to claw back millions from the fraudster.” Standard.co.uk reports
But in rejecting Ibori’s bid for thousands in compensation, the judge ruled: “There is no compensatory loss to Mr Ibori and I fix nominal damages at £1.”
Ibori was extradited to the UK for trial in February 2012 and prosecuted on the basis of evidence from the Metropolitan Police.
He pleaded guilty to 10 serious criminal charges over the appropriation of massive amounts of public funds during his two terms as governor of Delta State, Nigeria.
He was sentenced in April 2012 at Southwark Crown Court to 13 years imprisonment, and an order for his deportation as a foreign criminal was made in May 2015.
Having spent time in custody in the United Arab Emirates, he was due to be conditionally released from prison on December 20 2016.
But the Home Office indicated that there was no intention to deport Ibori to Nigeria until he handed over at least £57m “proceeds of crime”.
An email stated “we cannot deport Mr Ibori until the confiscation matter has been resolved”.
On December 21 last year, the day after his due release date, High Court Mrs Justice May ordered Ibori to be freed on conditions, describing the attempts to detain as “quite extraordinary”.
The judge said: “You don’t hold someone just because it is convenient to do so and without plans to deport them.”
A Home Office application that Ibori be electronically tagged and subject to strict curfew conditions was also rejected after the judge accepted arguments that the Home Secretary was attempting to misuse her immigration and deportation powers.
Ibori left the UK under his own steam on February 3 2017, but also launched his claim for damages for false imprisonment and breach of his rights under the 1998 Human Rights Act not to be unlawfully detained.
Ruling on Monday that Ibori had been held unlawfully for almost two days, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said it followed a failure to hold effective confiscation proceedings.
The judge ruled: “In this case, the secretary of state has been wrong-footed by the failure of the prosecution to achieve determination of its confiscation proceedings against Mr Ibori prior to his release from prison on licence.”
Ibori, was jailed for fraud totalling nearly £50m in April 2012.
He evaded capture in Nigeria after a mob of supporters attacked police, but was arrested in Dubai in 2010 and extradited to the UK.
Source: Standard.co.uk