James Ibori On the Run !

Last View on Mon 3rd September, 2007
Last Modified on Mon 03rd September, 2007 10:26:55 am
Author: Admin Sahara


-Saharareporters, New York
Former Delta Governor James Ibori, a subject of corruption investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has taken flight.

Ibori is regarded as one of the notorious former governors being investigated for embezzlement of public funds and money laundering.

Ibori had made an unsuccessful plot to emasculate the EFCC and remove Nuhu Ribadu as its executive Chairman. Using his contacts in the Umar Yar’Adua administration, James Ibori was behind Attorney General Aondaakar’s recent announcement that the EFCC could no longer prosecute corrupt public officials. But public outcry forced the government to reverse itself, restoring the anti-corruption agency’s powers to prosecute.

Our investigations revealed that Ibori took off a few days ago to South Africa. But he may have slipped out of South Africa as the country’s police closed in on him.

It remains a mystery how Ibori was able to travel since his international passport was supposed to have been confiscated by the EFCC.

Sources told Saharareporters that Ibori’s humiliating defeat in the hands of the EFCC and the freeze placed on his worldwide assets by a British court has led the former governor to consider fleeing from Nigerian prosecutors. Our sources said the EFCC was nearing a decision to arrest Ibori at the time of his hasty escape.

At the last count, the former governor is said to have looted close to N200 billion from the coffers of Delta State treasury. More than 20 officers of the EFCC are investigating Ibori along with many former state officials including the current governor of Delta State, Uduaghan.

Our sources in London disclosed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo effectively shielded Ibori from investigation due to their close relationship. As the EFCC commenced full investigations into the local content of Ibori's corruption, money laundering and racketeering activities, it soon discovered that Ibori had bought into all the strategic companies in the nation. Some of his investments include the acquisition of Willbros Nigeria Limited through a front company known as ASCOT Nigeria Limited.  He also owns an airline, Wings Aviation Limited, on whose behalf he was acquiring a brand new jet from Bombardier Airspace Company in Canada. The jet, estimated to be worth $20 million, is has been ordered seized by a London Court.

Investigators have also unearthed James Ibori's controlling interests in the National Fertilizer Company (NAFCON) as well as substantial interests in two major banks, Oceanic Bank and Access Bank.

A friend of the ex-governor who declined to be named denied Chief Ibori was on the run, according to him, " The former governor had traveled to the US from South  Africa on  vacation". He declined to tell Saharareporters when Chief Ibori would return to face the EFCC. However, he confided in Saharareporters that the EFCC was never in possession of James Ibori's passport as former president Obasanjo never allowed the anti-corruption agency to touch the former governor.

www.saharareporters.com

The Hatchet Man, Micheal Aondoakaa, must be celebrating in his heart. His due process policy and checkmating of EFCC is working. The Big boys are obviously finding their ways arround the Law, well is'nt that what due process is all about?

Congrats Mr. Attorney General.

una tell me say that country go better no be for this generation.
place where confirmed criminal na attorney general.

If Yaradua knows what he is doing he should get rid of this guy.

Where else in the world will a lawyer who has been a lead council in the defence of ex-governors standing trial against corruption turn out six months latter to become Attorney General and Minister of Justice in a Government that pledged to fight corruption.

It is truly no suprise nor is it a coincidence that his first assignment was to emasculate the EFCC.

nation of law and order

Justice minister takes over Kalu's trial from EFCC
THE end has definitely not been heard about the controversy over the control of anti-graft agencies by the Attorney General (AG) of the Federation, Mr. Michael Kause Aoadoakaa (SAN), which President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua recently attempted to resolve.

Yesterday, the office of the AGF clashed with the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Adebisi Adeniyi, over the prosecution of former Abia State Governor Oji Uzor Kalu for alleged graft while in office.

At the end, Adeniyi stepped down from the trial, although not until after the trial court had been held down by altercations by the EFCC counsel and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Salihu Aliyu.

It was a dramatic session at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Justice Babs Kuewumi sat.

The AGF office invoked his constitutional powers to enter and take over criminal trials in the country. The power, provided in section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, also includes discontinuance of criminal proceedings. A similar provision is in Section 211 of the Constitution for AG at the state level. Being a constitutional power, it supercedes any other law in Nigeria, since the Constitution is the grundnorm from which other laws and authorities take effect.

The DPP took over the trial following a petition from Kalu's legal team that it was being prosecuted by the EFCC in breach of a court order.

The mild drama took place before the Federal High Court hearing an application seeking to quash a 107-count charge against the former governor.

Kalu is on trial for alleged money laundering and stealing of the state's funds.

When the case was mentioned, lawyers from the AGF's office and the EFCC appeared as prosecutors.

Aliyu personally appeared for the AGF while Adeniyi represented the EFCC.

The development caught Adebisi unawares. He told the court: "I am at loss at the representation of the DPP in this matter because we are the counsel on record in this case.

"This matter was initiated by the EFCC. If the AGF is taking over, we are supposed to be properly briefed."

The EFCC counsel added: "For the AGF to come to court to announce that they are taking over the case is not tidy enough.''

In reply, the DPP said: "My Lord, the Federal Government is the party in this case; it is elementary in law that the AGF is the number one law officer in every criminal case.

"By virtue of his position and by the provision of Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, the AGF can come into any criminal case at any stage."

It took the intervention of Justice Kuewumi who stopped the altercation between the duo and stood down the case for 10 minutes to enable them settle their differences.

When the court resumed, the DPP announced appearance for the prosecution while the EFCC withdrew.

Adeniyi told the court: "I have conceded to the DPP. I will not want to announce my appearance again. He can continue with the case."

The DPP, however, later clarified the position of the Federal Government on the trial.

Aliyu later told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the AGF was not taking over the case, but appeared in court to clarify some grey areas reported to the office of the minister.

NAN said that Kalu's lawyer, Chief Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), had petitioned President Yar'Adua and the AGF, alleging that the charge against his client was in breach of the rule of law.

In the letter to Yar'Adua, dated August 5, the petitioner alleged that Kalu was charged to court by the EFCC in breach of a subsisting order of an Abia High Court.

The court order, secured on May 31 and attached to the petition, restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting Kalu.

Kalu's counsel told the President: "We have been encouraged to write this letter on behalf of our client because you have not only declared, but you have also demonstrated that your administration will operate within the rule of law.

"It is very difficult to comprehend why the EFCC will not have the patience and discipline to challenge any order made against it and have same vacated based on superior argument."

He added: "Unless you intervene, the Commission will scandalously and contemptuously continue to assail the rule of law,'' the petition to Yar'Adua said.

NAN said it further revealed that the Federal Government, through the office of the AGF, replied the letter stating its intention to intervene.

The reply, dated August 15 and signed by the DPP, said: "I am further to inform you that the AGF has directed the immediate compliance with all court orders, including, of course, the order secured in favour of your client."

It added: "Specifically, the order secured in respect of your client will be respected until a court of competent jurisdiction directs otherwise."

Based on the development, the accused, through his counsel, filed the suit seeking the orders of the court striking out the charge against his client.

He also asked the court to discharge the accused and vacate the terms and conditions for his bail, previously prescribed for his release.

The motion was served on both the EFCC and the AGF.

Hearing could not, however, continue in the case because the DPP was yet to file a counter-affidavit.


www.nigeriamasterweb.com Guardian

the name artorney general of the federation represents the final authority in ranking when it comes to judiciary matters.
ribadu and everyother persons in a normal setting is surposed to be accountable to him and not obj.
Ibori is on the run, so what? what about the other govs in nigeria? they are not corrupt yet until efcc direct them on how to leave nigeria and only then will ribadu go public to announce their narrow escapes.
who is fooling who? the targets have been nailed and the slection is done in perfect manners so corruption is not the word here rather loyalty to the god of our country(obj).
we are all living witnesses to the april polls and we know that such a massive rigging involved exchange of funds which constitutionally, is illegal so how many people have been punished by efcc on that note.
why will andy uba who was nabbed in the usa for money luandary and was found guilty still a free saint before ribadu.
it is all shit when we decieve our selves with the war on corruption.
who is among us here that does not know the chris uba and adedibu represent corruption of the highest order in nigeria?
before may 29th nigerians were fed with such information that 31 of the 36 givs have been investigated and will be arrested as soon as they are out of immunity so how long more are we waiting or have the only corrupt govs ( kalu and co) been arrested.
what have yar adua and goodluck to show for their years as govs as to merit the president and vice.
how did nigeria in her fight against corruption recognise Donald duke who was outstanding among his co-governors?
maybe odili who accepted to withdraw his ambition for yar adua is no longer corrupt but as if he continued like kalu did, maybe alams would have been saint compared to the picture our able ribadu will paint.
tony annenih is not corrupt and bode george is a state man.
obj sold all sellables and gave out illegal contracts of which yar adua had conselled some yet he is not corrupt even the act of giving out illegal contract is a holy one.
we have to face the realities of life and fight corruption and delete efcc and ribadu or they will expand the branches of corruption to other angles of our lives.