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UAE: James Ibori Extradition Ruling For Next Sunday, October 17, In Dubai
Posted: October 10, 2010 - 21:07
Posted by siteadmin
caption: James Ibori during his "kangaroo" court trial in Asaba
By SaharaReporters, New York

The much awaited Dubai-London extradition ruling regarding the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, will be concluded next Sunday in the United Arab Emirates.

UAE court officials exclusively told SaharaReporters that the judge concluded the hearing of the case today (Sunday October 10, 2010) and reserved his judgment till next week. On that occasion, a decision would be made as to whether Mr. Ibori will proceed to the United Kingdom to face trials for looting the treasury of Delta State and laundering same through several British banks, using lawyers, relatives and close associates.

The case took so long because the UK Metropolitan police had to translate thousands of evidence as well as affidavits in order to be able to make a solid case about Ibori's culpability in money laundering and thus make a strong application for Ibori’s extradition to London.

The UK police also made serious references to the successful trial of two female associates of Ibori in London which has so far led to the jailing of Ibori's sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee Onuigbo) for money laundering. Both women are serving prison terms at the all-female Holloway prison in London.



Another case cited by the UK is the ongoing trial of Ibori's wife, Theresa Nkoyo and his UK lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil. The UK police pointed out that the case is progressing well before the Southwark Crown Court and is likely to lead to the conviction of Ibori's wife and his lawyer on the basis of the pile of evidence before that court.



In one of the affidavits filed, the UK police also urged the Dubai court to extradite Ibori to the UK to enable him face trial for converting V-Mobile shares belonging to Delta State government, proceeds of which were also laundered through UK banks and also involved UK citizens.



In his defense, Ibori is pleading that his departure from Nigeria and subsequent arrest in Dubai was due to political persecution by President Goodluck Jonathan. His strongest defense was the ruling given by Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court in Asaba who dismissed all charges of money laundering against Ibori without considering the merit of the case.

Justice Awokulehin was paid $5 million for his kangaroo court verdict. He was subsequently transferred to the Federal High Court in Lafia, Nassarawa State, where he made a dramatic withdrawal from the corruption case against the former governor of the state, Adamu, citing negative media reports over his handling of the Ibori case.



But the curious dimension to Ibori's upcoming ruling has emerged from Delta state where state officials have been repainting and decorating Ibori’s country home in Oghara in the last three weeks. A source in the state told Saharareporters that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has assured all that Ibori would be acquitted and returned to Nigeria by today (because the judgment was expected to be handed down today). Several months ago, Saharareporters reported that Governor Uduaghan had made available $10 million to help sprint Ibori out from Dubai "by any means necessary," but following our report, Ibori was re-arrested and his earlier bail revoked. He has since been shuttling between a hospital and a Dubai detention center pending the conclusion of the extradition hearing.



If the extradition succeeds, Ibori would likely be transferred to the UK immediately to face a rigorous trial for money laundering that might take years to conclude. Also, he would be second person to be extradited to the UK from the UAE after the signing of the Extradition Treaty between The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The treaty entered into force in 2008.