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Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by RICHIEBOI1(m): 3:04pm On Apr 18, 2011 |
Fugitive former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori who was extradited to London from the United Arab Republic(UAE), appeared last week at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with 25 offences relating to money laundering and fraud. The maximum penalty for these offences is 14 years in Jail under the British Law. Money laundering is the practice of disguising the origins of illegally-obtained money. Ultimately, it is the process by which the proceeds of crime are made to appear legitimate. The money involved can be generated by any number of criminal acts, including drug dealing, corruption, accounting and other types of fraud, and tax evasion. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication from simple to complex. There are now five basic money-laundering offences under the British law, they include, assisting another to retain the benefit of crime, acquiring, possession and use of criminal proceeds, concealing or transferring proceeds to avoid prosecution or a confiscation order (also called Own Funds money laundering) and failure to disclose knowledge or suspicion of money laundering. According to information obtained from UK Crown Prosecution Service(CPS), the law explicitly states that if an accused “conceals, disguises, converts, transfers or removes criminal property” on indictment could spend up to 14 years imprisonment or a fine or both. For a lesser offence of “failure to disclose knowledge, suspicion or reasonable grounds for suspicion of money laundering” on indictment, the accused will go to jail for up to five years or a fine or both. These was the offence for which three of ex-governor of James Ibori’s associates: his estrange wife, Therese Nkoyo Ibori, blood sister and mistress, Christine Ibie-Ibori and Udoamaka Onuigbo, were convicted and now in Holloway prison serving 5years jail term each after they were found guilty of money laundering by the Southwark Crown Court. James Ibori’s Bhadresh Gohil a partner at Arlington Sharma Solicitors, London was jailed for 7years. It is this second part of the offence that may also indict several Ibori associates including Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who was named by Therese Ibori as well as David Edevwie, late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s former aide and former Delta state commissioner for Finance. The Charges against Chief Ibori include: 1. Conspiracy to defraud: That James Ibori between the 1st day of September 2005 and the 1st day of january 2007 conspired together and with Bhadresh babulah Gohil, Lambertus de Boer, Daniel Benedict Mc Cannn, Victor Attah, David Edevbie, Love Ojakovo , and others to defraud states within the Federation of Nigeria, namely Delta State and Akwa Ibom State, of sums representing part of the sale of shares owned by the said states in Vee Networks (Nigeria) Limited (trading as V Mobile) to Celtel (Nigeria) BV, and held in the names of their respective authorized ministries or agencies the said sums being paid to a company named African Development Finance Limited or its predecessors under an Exclusive arranger Agreement to a total invoiced value in excess of $37,000,000 United States dollars Contrary to common law. H.O 53/4 Local None CJS COL011 2. Make a false instrument with intent it be accepted to genuine-Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 between 01/09/2005 and 01/07/2007 2. Conspiracy to make false instruments: That James Ibori between the 1st day of September 2005 and the 1st day of July 2006 conspired together and with Bhadresh Babulal Gohil, Lambertus de Boer, Daniel Benedict McCann, David Edevbie, Love Ojakovo and others to make false instruments, namely letters and other documents which purported to be made on date or otherwise in circumstances in which they were not made, in relation to alleged services provided by African Development Finance or its predecessors in relation to the sale of shares by Delta State in Vee Networks (Nigeria) Limited (trading as V Mobile), with the intention that they or another should use the said letters and documents to induce somebody to accept them as genuine and by reason of so accepting to do, or not to do, some act to his own prejudice or that of any other person. Contrary to section 1 (1A) of the Criminal Law Act 1977. H.O 61/21 Local None CJS FC81002 3. Proceeds of Crime-arrangement re criminal property -money launder Between 15/04/2006 and 09/09/2009 5. Money laundering: That James Ibori on or about the 21st December 2006 together with Bhadresh Babulal Gohil, Lambertus de Boer, Daniel Benedict MCCaann, Victor Attah, Henry Imasheka and others concealed, disguised, converted and transferred criminal property, namely the sum of $10 million (USD) being a purported loan from African Development Finance Limited to a company named Ascot Offshore (Nigeria) Limited, they knowing or suspecting that that sum constituted the benefit from criminal conduct of another person, or that it represented such benefit in whole or in part and whether directly or indirectly. Contrary to section 327 of the proceeds of crime Act 2002 H.O. 38/1 Local None CJS PC02020 During the session, Chief Ibori’s lawyer, Jonathan Akinsanya, did not apply for bail perhaps because the court already knew that the former Delta State was a high level flight risk who would try to skip bail. He was remanded and sent to Wandsworth Prison in London. His next appearance will be on April 28th, 2011 at the Southwark Crown Court, the same venue where his accomplices were tried for similar offices. They got five years each. The Southwark Crown Court in London, which has sent James Ibori money-laundering associates to jail in recent months, granted a confiscation of proceeds of crime order against the jailed sister of the former Delta state governor. Judge Christopher Harding ruled that Christine Ibori-Ibie, who was jailed for five years last June, benefited from looted Delta state funds by over £4 million. Christine, who appeared in court, refused to give evidence in the confiscation trial. Under the order, she is required to pay £832,000 in the next six months or risk bagging a fresh five years in the slammer in addition to the five years she is now serving for engaging in money laundering with James Ibori. The £829, 000 is made of up of the value of her property in London minus what she owes in mortgage loans. Despite Christine’s refusal to give any evidence, her lawyers agreed that the figures were correct. She made it known, however, that she did not agree that she benefited from the Delta State loot to the extent of the amount declared by the court. The London Metropolitan police, working through the “Proceed Of Crimes Unit” (POCU), comprising a few Scotland Yard police detectives: John MackDonald, Peter Clarke, Paul Garnener and Ben Irons, have relentlessly pursued former governors James Ibori, Dipreye Alamieyeseigha and Joseph Dariye. The three former governors of Delta, Plateau and Bayelsa States used UK banks, to launder funds looted from their respective states. In 2005 whilst James Ibori was the Governor, the Delta State owned 18% of the shares in V Mobile and The Akwa Ibom state owned 10% with Obong Victor Attah in power. Both were on the board of V Mobile and privy to all the dealings. So in June 2005, when a sale of the company was considered there were already offers on the table from major international operators such as Vodaphone, Virgin, Celtel and Econet amongst others. By late 2005 the market had been fully tested and although there was no requirement for any additional advice and due to the greed of both James Ibori and Victor Attah together decided to plunder the asset and divert funds to their own coffers. Other Nigerian officials accused in the scam are currently at large. They include former Governor Victor Obong Attah of Akwa Ibom, David Edevbie, a former Principal Secretary to Umaru Yar’Adua, Love Ojakovo, a former commissioner of Finance to Ibori and Henry Imashekka, a business associate of Ibori. Gohil was recruited and it was he who masterminded a simple scheme and set up a fake company as a consultancy called ADF (Africa Development Finance) which would charge exorbitant fees ( five to six times of that charged by top UK solicitors, for their alleged service and to arrange the sale. Gohil created a pretence that it was necessary for the Delta State and Akwa Ibom state to consult another company-ADF and charged $19 million and $18m respectively and sent to Access bank in Nigeria. The basis of the fee would be a 5% flat commission and 25% -30% success fee for any price achieved over $6.5 per share. This even though the market was already established at between $6.45-$8.05 per share. The prosecutor Sasha Wass said “it is like betting after a race is concluded”. The fees were not legitimate or necessary but merely a mechanism to divert money to James Ibori and Victor Attah. It was always intended that no work would be undertaken but money diverted. Mr. Gohil from his luxury offices in St James in London, created a false paper trail by his own efforts and by instructing his junior trainees. A false agreement was typed up and Gohil forged the necessary signatures. Once funds were received at the Access bank in Nigeria various company vehicles were used to launder the cash including Brookes Aviation, E F Samuels, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Ltd, Econet and Cran Brasil Nominees Ltd. Both De Boer and McCann were FSA approved and were recruited by Gohil to play a part. Commenting on the issue, Dr. Richard Tosanwumi, a former Delta State Commissioner for Health said “the evil that men do lives after them is unarguable playing itself out in the on going Ibori trial saga in the UK” According to him, this is a lesson for other members of the Ibori/Uduaghan cabal, particularly those who participated in the looting of Delta State treasury since 1999. “Amazingly, many Deltans hardly believed us when we took up the self-imposed struggle to bring Ibori, Uduaghan and their cabal members to justice for the mindless way our state resources were squandered and stolen. Today we have been vindicated by the commencement of Ibori’s trial in London. Truly, an evil doer will eventually pay for his sins, because the British judiciary is one of the best in the world.” He said Dr. Tosanwum stressed that Chief Ibori will definitely get a fair trial just like his wife, mistress, sister and UK lawyers who were convicted and are now serving various jail terms. “Obviously, Ibori will be convicted and sent to jail in the UK and Deltans must see Ibori’s travails as divine intervention designed to sanitize their land and deliver them from evil leaders in future. What remains to be done now is for Deltans to cleanse all the vestiges and relics of Ibori’s cabal from their state in order to achieve this task. Uduaghan must be booted out of office at the April 26th governorship elections in the state. We shall be placing the life of our children in great jeopardy if we allow Uduaghan to rig the election again. The stakes are too high for us to toy with” he concluded Commending on this development, Comrade Igbini Odafe Emmaneul, Delta State PRP Governorship candidate said “I just dey laf. What is new about Britain’s action? Is Britain’s record of aiding and abetting corruption, looting and crime not a well known fact in the world?” According to him, “We are celebrating but Britain celebrates most because the British government knows she now has hundreds of millions of pound sterling she will steal from my brother, Chief James Ibori. Congratulations Great Britain, at least now that your government is in economic crisis and can’t sustain her financial obligations to her students and citizens, Ibori’s money will help. Congrats once more!” For Nigerians, particularly my Urhobo people all over the world, he said, “I weep for us because not too long we shall realize the consequence our FOOLISHNESS in supporting any ethnic group in Nigeria who rightly sees Ibori as a threat to the political ambition of their own people.” “Have Urhobos not faded away from Politics and Relevance in Nigeria today? Yet we the Urhobos are happy that we are now SLAVES to other Nigerians. Today we shamelessly worship other Nigerians in order to get the crumbs which fall from their table.” “Everyone knows that I have never supported corruption and looting of public funds rather, it is on record that I led the opposition against corruption and lootings in Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, and other States of Nigeria but what is sadly clear today is that the action against Ibori is a Political Persecution in view of his rising political profile nationally. http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Q430E/nigerdeltastandard.com/?p=247 |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 1:57pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
14years na wa o |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Kennyblues(m): 2:10pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
RICHIE BOI: According to Nigerian Law, for the selected few, how many years does it stipulate? |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 2:45pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
He wont get 14yrs. I have been talking about this issue with a barrister friend on mine in the UK. Ibori is not judged to have killed anyone, so he is likely to get 10ys max, but will serve about 7yrs. That for me is good enough. he will come out almost 60, stretched and finished, and then deported back to Nigeria to face further charges |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Epiphany(m): 2:56pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
monkeyleg: . . . hopefully, that is if Nigeria has reached the stage where they are able and willing to bring people to book. But yes, i hope he serves at least 7 - 10 years behind bars. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by suwailad(f): 2:58pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
monkeyleg: we dont need that analysis so long the guy is dealt with. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 3:02pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
suwailad: I think it is important people manage thier expectation, but knowing what is possible. Ibori has commited a crime in the Uk that has a maximum tariff of 10yrs. and I believe he will be given the maximum sentence. Now we need to get his brother there as well, he is a principal suspect in the case, meanwhile he is a sitting governor |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by ogb5(m): 3:18pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
maybe ibori should be shot. I guess that will solve all the problems we have as a nation. Compared to Uduaghan, some have started realising that Ibori was a better Governor. With time many deltans will realise that Ibori was among the best govs the state had ever had. Unfortunately, the Urhobos do not know politics and will continue to pull down their leaders over petty things. If the Vmobile deal was the whole reason for all the chase and character assassination meted out to Ibori over the yrs then they really need to tell us what they are chasing. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 3:46pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
14 years, after all just 14 yrs which is like 7 yrs in actuality and could be given parole based on good conduct. Chei, I have to go become governor. This is so annoying. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 4:41pm On Apr 20, 2011 |
@Ogb5, Ibori commited a serious financial crime in the UK purnishable by very tough penalties, including long jail terms. It gets my goats when people like you fail to understand simply why he is being tried. After he has finsihed serving time in the Uk as an Ex-Convict, yourself and the Nigerian government can celebrate him if you like |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by komekn(m): 3:35pm On Apr 21, 2011 |
ogb5, 400 posts and you can make a contribution devoid of any substance of rationality your proposition is nonsensical in the extreme, IBORI THE BEST GOVERNOR = MADNESS Thank God for British justice so he will be convicted and sentenced i hope with maximum sentence and his loot forfeited to the state (Nigeria) Hopefully his first cousin Uduaghan will be swept out and he can face his overdue prosecution. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by meine: 4:59pm On Apr 21, 2011 |
Lousy headline |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 8:35am On Apr 22, 2011 |
ogb5:I totally support you, non deltans should steer clear of this thread if they don' t understand what is being said. Are you people trying to say Uduaghan is a better gov than Ibori? You people have really got to check yourselves. When ignorance is spilled, it stinks all over the place. The urhobos are crazy people my brother, petty issues and greed is the stuff killing them. Sometimes I feel I should just denounce and become an ijaw man. Take a look at this election, if I'm not mistaking, we have up to four candidates when all should align with Ogboru. Do they think there are no other itsekiri candidates to challenge Uduaghan? Its a mess. Its not about the vmobile shares, Ibori in trying to be smart became careless. His long for power, federal power put him where he is. The exact story may not come out but I believe his stashing his loot in the UK was a big mistake. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 8:56am On Apr 22, 2011 |
@blink182, neither Ibori or Uduaghnan are good governors. Infact i will go further to call both downright Notorious thieves. What gets me, is people trying to sift good from Shiet. I Keep reminding people that this has very little to do withj what part of delta one comes from rather, that deltans have been subjected to bad governance from start, and ibori and uduaghan have served to divide us as a people. Get a good governor who performs, soon most deltans would not feel left out. Currently nothing works in delta that is why most are playing the tribal card. Ibori is a no good Thief. And I will be in court to see him sentenced for 10yrs to serve 7. Uduaghan is next |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 9:07am On Apr 22, 2011 |
monkeyleg:Nobody has said Ibori is good by being better than Uduaghan but come on during Iboris time money was flowing all over the place, even though it was usually in the wrong hands, uduaghan came in and all of a sudden Delta state is dead broke. -2 is better than -4 but that doesn't make it +2. I hope you understand. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 9:12am On Apr 22, 2011 |
@Blink182, During IBB's time money was flowwing everywhere yanfu-yanfu, would u call his government a good one? The fact the some people made money from Ibori's era, does not make his better than uduaghan, they are both cut from the same cloth. If we have a government that works, money will flow, into the right hand, and most deltans would ebnefit from a susyem athat works for them and serves them. Lagos and Rivers are some of the examples. Besides, Ibori did very wicked things, especially to those from Delta north. He made them feel they were not part of Delta state. now how can you be a gorvernor of all, but serve few. let him rot in jail |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 9:25am On Apr 22, 2011 |
Its obvious, you don't get it. Are we not saying the same thing? |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 9:41am On Apr 22, 2011 |
blink182: We might be saying the same thing, but there is no way a distinction should be drawn between ibori and uduaghan, they are one and rthe same. By the way, hope you are getting ready for Tuesday? That short ugly Devil must be shown the door |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 10:11am On Apr 22, 2011 |
monkeyleg:My bro, I'm getting ready. It just pains me that the court can't evict Uduaghan and make Ogboru gov. To be honest even though I'm voting DPP, there is little chance Ogboru will win. As of now Na prayer i dey pray. The situation is really hopeless because the fish, crabs and periwinkle in koko sea are getting prepared to vote also. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 10:25am On Apr 22, 2011 |
@Blink182, We have got to try. I am convinced Uduaghan will not have it his own way this time around. Dont forget those king-pins like Amori who were kicked out. We all need to come together now and vote with one voice. Uduaghan is a very Wicked man, infact he brags to those who care listen that he is mean and he doesnt care. We need someone who can work for all Deltans and I am sure Ogboru will be that man |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 10:51am On Apr 22, 2011 |
@monkeyleg, the issue is how do we prevent what happened at the rerun from happening again? I am really fed up. I just want someone to mop up all our restive youths from the street and give them gainful employment. The whole thing is really frustrating. Ogboru is too . . . he just doesn't care enough. If Uduaghan's boys want to rig, then he should give dpp boys the go ahead to rig. The end will justify the means. The mighty Fashola did not come into office through a free and fair process, but today people have forgotten that. Let him give DPP boys the go ahead, we know how to get the guns. So that when they're producing 50k votes for him in koko. Sapele, ughelli north and south will produce 300k and even in areas where he is not popular enough, his riggers will be shot to death in broad day light. You heard what happened during the senatorial election in Ughelli. If not for the readiness of DPP boys, Amori would have won. Ehwerido mobilized his boys properly. Ogboru should do same. The guns are ready, the youth more than ready and they don't even need money. OGBORU stop being a man of peace. give the go ahead. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by seanet02: 11:25am On Apr 22, 2011 |
Abeg quick quick jare |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by monkeyleg: 11:55am On Apr 22, 2011 |
@Blink182, I am a mna of peace, and I believe Ogboru is taking the right stand as well. Dem say when 2 elephant fight, na gorund dey suffer. there are other ways of getting good results. I was in lagos during Fashola's election, and it was not rigging that got him in. What ACN did was to station a team in every polling station, so results were announced there and could not be manipulated. We should do the same. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 12:02pm On Apr 22, 2011 |
monkeyleg:Come on, what are you saying, where you in all the LGA's at the same time. I am not a preacher of violence but as they say'desperate situations call for desperate measures'. If we want to tow the line of peace, ok. Lets see the outcome, latest thursday we will know the official winner. This was how we towed the line of peace in the rerun, after making endless calls and was pretty sure Ogboru had won by a great margin, I received the shock of my life when the results came out. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by suwailad(f): 1:57am On May 06, 2011 |
Is he in jail now? |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by rasputinn(m): 10:47am On May 06, 2011 |
monkeyleg: LOH(Laughing out hard) Serves the odidigborigbo of looting well |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by oderemo(m): 10:50am On May 06, 2011 |
he will get 5yrs max. any bet? |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by rasputinn(m): 10:52am On May 06, 2011 |
@ Ogb5 You must be one of the Ibori boys to make that sacrilegious post above Well,I'm gladdened that Ibori is presently in detention in the UK,awaiting trial and long sentencing,the scenario is quite different from the shambolic Asaba high court that you and Uduaghan hurriedly built to aquit the monstrous looter called Ibori |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by rasputinn(m): 10:53am On May 06, 2011 |
ode remo: I say he gets no less than 10yrs,would've taken you on,but I don't bet on trivial matters |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 11:01am On May 06, 2011 |
Ibori is really in a mess, a lecturer at his university was complaining yesterday that while he was in dubai he still paid salaries but after his extradition, no salary has come since. He said his case was even good compared to some new lecturers that just came in and haven't a dime in salary. Then I asked myself how can people be so ignorant to work with someone that is in so much trouble? ![]() |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by HamidO1(m): 11:02am On May 06, 2011 |
I pray he gets the maximum possible jail term. Hopefully others will learn. |
Re: Ibori Path To 14yrs Jail by Nobody: 11:10am On May 06, 2011 |
Hamid O:Even if he gets 100 yrs, others still will not learn. People in nigeria love to believe it can't happen to them |
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