The British Government yesterday handed over one million pounds cheque to the Federal Government being the money recovered from the former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, during his arrest in London by the London Metropolitan Police last September.
A statement issued by the Nigerian High Commissioner in London, Dr Christopher Kolade, said the handover ceremony took place at the London Metropolitan Police Headquarters, Victoria Street, London.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Head of Specialist Crimes and Anti-Money Laundering Team, Mr. Peter Clarke, said: “This seizure demonstrates the success of our application of the Proceeds of Crime Act to stop criminals benefiting from illegally obtained money. “
He paid glowing tribute to the mutual working relationship between the UK anti-money laundering agency, and its Nigerian counterpart, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which he said facilitated the seizure of the funds from the former governor.
Describing the event as the first of its kind, Clarke stated: “We believe these types of seizures will help deter financial crime in both London and Nigeria. The contacts and ongoing liaison established between Nigeria and the Economic and Specialist Crime Unit will be utilised to target money launderers using London and its banking systems.”
Kolade praised the UK Government for its co-operation, which effectively denied treasury looters the opportunity to use the country’s financial system to siphon money out of Nigeria.
He said the event would send a clear message to others who might be contemplating such an act, that the UK environment was no longer safe for them.
The Nigerian diplomat hoped that other European countries and other countries of the world, would emulate the British Government example.
According to the statement, the ceremony was watched by Lord Triesman from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Steve House, Head of the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime Directorate.
Also in attendance were some senior officials of the Nigerian High Commission in London.
The former governor was arrested in September last year for alleged money laundry. While undergoing trial in London, he jumped bail and returned to Nigeria under mysterious circumstances to assume his position as governor.
But he soon faced a major political crisis at home, leading to his impeachment by the State House of Assembly and subsequently arrested by the police to face trial in Nigeria for massive looting of the state treasury.
Meanwhile, Alamieyeseigha, who was last December arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos on a 40- count charge of money laundering, illegal acquisition of property and false assets declaration, has asked the court to grant him bail pending trial, following the deteriorating condition of his health.
Charged along with seven corporate bodies believed to be owned by him, he took ill in February, when his trial was billed to commence and has since been on admission in a Lagos hospital.
His failing health has since stalled the criminal trial as well as ruling in his application for stay of proceedings in the matter.
A motion on notice filed by his counsel, Professor Alfred Kasunmu, SAN, states that he is facing a life - threatening ailment and could drop dead any time if he was not flown abroad for urgent medical attention.
In an affidavit attached to the application for bail, the deponent, one Chidi Ifenkwem, a legal practitioner in the law firm of Mike Ozekhome, one of his counsel, stated that Afried Krupp Hospital, Germany, where the accused underwent surgery, shortly before his arrest and eventual removal from office last year, had written to the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on the urgent need to bring him to the hospital for medical check up.
The letter to the EFCC boss, dated April 4, 2006 was said to have indicated that the former governor was advised by the hospital last August, when he went for the first operation to report back for a repeat surgery as a necessary follow -up.
His failure to attend the check -up, the hospital noted, resulted in the complications, which could place his life in grave danger if he was not availed the much needed medical attention.
He said Alamieyeseigha’s health had so much degenerated, that there was the urgent need to fly him abroad for intensive medical treatment.
Also, his London based attorney, Mr. R. A. Oluyede, has called on the Federal Government to grant him bail to enable him attend to his health.
"If the government does not wake up to this reality and, God forbid, anything should happen to the man whilst he is in detention, then not only would the government have created a martyr, they would have also made the Niger - Delta debacle that much more intractable", he warned yesterday in a statement.



http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=52476

Its an accepted convention that All Who Handle Stolen Goods are as guilty as the Robber,going by this what punishments have been given to the Banks,Lawyers and Officials who aid this whole sale stealing from third world countries like Nigeria.
UK Police return of £1m is a step in the right direction but whatever happened to the billions and billions of Pounds of stolen funds belonging to the Nigerian People stash away in UK bank vaults,is the Met restricted from investigating the British Banks?

I will only rest easy when money stolen by the likes of IBB,Danjuma,Useni,Aikumo,Ahigbe Ex Military Governors,current governors like Peter Odili etc are returned to the rightful owners i.e Nigerians.
I sincerely hope that Mr Alamieseigha rots where the sun don't shine,I do not support Fraud in any sense of the word and I'm pissed off at people demanding his release.

I never thought I'll say this but what the heck,CHXTA thanks for the link its a fantastic Blog.

Cheers

they havent done enuff. they still got some more to do. if they really wann@ help us fight them damn thieves, they should do it to the fullest.

they tried by returning one million but we still have more than enuff stashed away there.