Ibori faces new investigation

By Elor Nkereuwem


March 15, 2010 01:20AM
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The immediate past governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who was recently acquitted of a 170-count corruption charges brought against him by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is not home free, as the agency has launched a fresh round of investigations on the activities of the former governor.

Double trouble

In addition to the fact that the EFCC has, since December 2009, filed a notice of appeal against the December 17, 2009 judgement which absolved Mr. Ibori of all wrong doing, the commission has begun this new round of investigations on the former governor following a petition by members of the Delta State Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, which was made available to the public last week.

Last week, the chairman of the EFCC, Farida Waziri, held a meeting with the acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, during which Mr. Jonathan re-emphasised the determination of the federal government to wage a vibrant anti-corruption campaign.

The latest petition against Mr. Ibori, signed by 10 leading citizens of Delta State headed by a former minister of information, Edwin Clark, includes a demand for a probe of the former governor over alleged illegal disposal of 528 million shares belonging to Delta State, in Oceanic Bank. The shares were said to have been disposed of in 2007 by government officials.

In the petition, which was also published in some national dailies, the group asked the anti- corruption agency to hold Mr. Ibori liable for the disposal of the shares. Mr. Ibori was alleged to have unlawfully used the 528.01 million units as “a collateral for a loan from Intercontinental Bank for his private company, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Ltd.”

Officials of the EFCC, who declined to be named, confirmed over the weekend that the agency has launched fresh investigations into several allegations against Mr. Ibori made by Mr. Clark, a delta chief and head of the Elders Committee of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The EFCC has initiated investigations into some other allegations, including the ones made by Clark and co,” an operative of the agency told NEXT over the weekend.

However, the spokesman of the EFCC, Femi Babafemi, declined to speak on ongoing investigations against the former governor. “We are looking into the petition,” he said.

Old and new charges

Mr. Babafemi however confirmed that the commission was eager to go on with the earlier case, but that the appeal court was yet to fix a date for hearing on the matter.

“After the December 17th judgement, the EFCC on December 23rd filled a notice of appeal at the appeal court in Benin. We are just waiting for the appeal court to fix a date for the hearing,” Mr. Babafemi said.

The EFCC had slammed a 170-count charge of corruption on Mr. Ibori in 2007. After two years, a trial judge, Marcel Awokulehin, ruled the case in favour of the former governor in a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State.

Mr. Ibori, however, still faces money laundering charges brought against him and some of his associates by the Metropolitan Police in London. The case is being heard at the Southwark County Court, London.


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EFCC need to get serious and jail this guy instead of all these games

There shall be no peace 4d wicked. . .

The EFCC had slammed a 170-count charge of corruption on Mr. Ibori in 2007. After two years, a trial judge, Marcel Awokulehin, ruled the case in favour of the former governor in a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State.

Can this people stop wasting our resource on this man. IS it not clear to them that Ibori is one of the criminals that the federal governemnt has allowed to walk on the street? A man who was slammed of 170 corruption charges yet found no guilty must be an angel and only the court of heavens can found him guilty.

This not a news please, coz it will go down the same way as usual.

i pray d judgmnt ll symbolise d depth of his corruption. No b 9ja, ?

Yeah. And 'Justice' Marcel Awokulehin should be charged along with him (as an accessory after the fact-or sth like that).

trueword:

EFCC need to get serious and jail this guy instead of all these games

EFCC has always been serious to jail him but the corrupt judges would not let the man go to jail. It is not the job of the EFCC to jail anyone.

Waste of time, Spare me!

next topic pls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It goes without saying that Farida has been far less effective than Ribadu. Ribadu remains the gold standard for how the war on curruption in Nigeria must be fought.

However, the obstacles faced by the EFCC under Yar Presidency must be recognized as a main limitation. The EFCC can only be as effective as the goverment of day permits.  

It's ironic - under OBJ,  millions was spent on training a select group of respected judges  in SA, Europe, US - aimed at empowering them with requisite knowledge.

Under Yar on the other hand, the most currupt judges are being elevated to new heights and handed 'big ticket' transactions (cases).

When the top is rotten, as is the case with Nigeria, nothing good should be expected from the institutions within,

this might be good afterall

Na today.Abeg make dem go chop beans joo!

same old story

Oju ole re, ole! Jail this guy I beg.

wetin appen to the previous ones. EFCC

Once an Ole/onye ohe/ kalawo always a crook.

Jail him now or never.

na so.ole, barawo

Goodluck Jonathan, well done!!! I knew it, you can never let your enemies see bed sleep, good job bro!

ibori is innocent, i suya aah

i hope this will not be like the previous one

matiltom_d:

Goodluck Jonathan, well done!!! I knew it, you can never let your enemies see bed sleep, good job bro!

It has nothing to do with Goodluck Jonathan (except, maybe his blessing).
If you read the article again, you will see that it is the action of Niger Delta people. ND people have always tried to bring Ibori to justice, but havealways been foiled by the FG, especially through Aondoakaa.

wAhaLA don nack for this man BaKc YaRd

I wont hold my breath cos the story will still end same way as before.

joshO:

It goes without saying that Farida has been far less effective than Ribadu. Ribadu remains the gold standard for how the war on curruption in Nigeria must be fought.

However, the obstacles faced by the EFCC under Yar Presidency must be recognized as a main limitation. The EFCC can only be as effective as the goverment of day permits.

It's ironic - under OBJ, millions was spent on training a select group of respected judges in SA, Europe, US - aimed at empowering them with requisite knowledge.

Under Yar on the other hand, the most currupt judges are being elevated to new heights and handed 'big ticket' transactions (cases).

When the top is rotten, as is the case with Nigeria, nothing good should be expected from the institutions within,

I dnt have a flair a bit for Farida, Comparing her with Ribadu is off beam.
Obj portrayed to the wrld he was fighting corruption and used Ribadu to hack
corrupt enemies (Ibori inclusive). For a man who disobeyed court orders
and undermined our constitution can never be a gold standard for an
anti corruption institution.
one day Ibori and other economy plungers will give account of our stolen commonwealth

why are we al being taken for a ride by these idiots called EFCC,anybody here mind telling me if IBORI stole more money than OBJ? plz if you think so plz come 4ward,or rather tell me why aint the EFCC not doing same to OBJ, are all these not misplaced priorities? wasting of public resources on things they already know and can do nothing about cos it ties them too?

its only a matter of time, corrupt men will be exposed.

Their loot will not be forever (Remember Abacha).

Lets build credible institutions in our country; thatway; the system of loot will be checkmated.

Boy!!!!! 170 counts charge is a lot for one man. Hmmmmmm, Ibori ohhhhhh, EFCC should keep at it.

And we'll all see how the "Investigation" would end.

why d noise, the guy should just face it, with plea bargain he will get get a concurrent prison term that will end 2hrs aftr the judgment,

this man should be kidnapped i swear no body will pay the ransom.,,,

is this ur Ibori one and the same person with JAMES ONANEFE IBORI that was once convicted for stealing by a court??

When I see Ibori in handcuffs,then I'd believe

The day I see Ibori in handcuffs,that is the day I'll believe this story