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After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

After months of intense rumours, New Scotland Yard Detectives DC John McDonald, DC Nicholas Greenwood and DI Gary Walters (now retired) have been identified as the beneficiaries of over £20,000 of illegal cash payments from RISC Management Limited for confidential information in the James Ibori case. Other officers identified in the complaint include DC Ben Irons, DC Peter Clarke and DS George Simpson have also been implicated in possible attempts to pervert the course of justice. The Detectives form part of SCD6’s Proceeds of Corruption Unit. It is stated that in 2006, during the early stages of the Ibori investigation, his UK Lawyers (Speechly Bircham Solicitors) engaged in the services of a private detective agency called RISC Management Limited. Around £20,000 of known payments have been identified as being paid directly to DI Walters and DC McDonald over a period of twelve months in a series of cash payments.

The Evening Standard originally exposed this matter on the 31st October 2011, having received the leaked invoices. Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: “This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and private investigators that have emerged in recent months”.

At the heart of these deeply disturbing allegations is RISC Management Limited. The private detective agency is operated by Keith Hunter and Cliff Knuckey, both former Scotland Yard Detectives. According to recent newswire reports, Hunter offered his services to Speechly Bircham’s Ian Timlin in 2006. Ibori’s high-powered lawyers at the time were vigorously contesting the UK freezing order on Ibori’s assets, and the legalities surrounding the admissibility of material illegally and unlawfully taken from Nigeria by DC McDonald and DC Greenwood. At the time and in order to induce the relationship, Hunter and Knuckey are reported to have offered their ability to provide specific details of police activity surrounding the case. RISC Management Limited, through Hunter, declined to comment on the allegations, as the matter is currently being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

It is understood that a detective working in the Unit came across the evidence of these substantial and illegal payments to his colleagues after he had obtained a number of critical documents from RISC officers, having served them with a Production Order in 2008. At the same time, a former RISC employee had identified up to 14 other cases where similar corrupt and illegal payments for information appear to have been made. Payments in excess of £100,000 have been mentioned to an array of serving Detectives and Revenue officials. All these cases will no doubt form part of what is likely to be a long and intensive investigation. The entirety of the allegations are supported by damming and incontrovertible documentary evidence which sets out specific details of cash payments at a variety of locations, which have been submitted to the IPCC. This will not be the first time Hunter has been caught up in a scandal. Similar allegations were made in 2006 after The Times and a leading respected journalist, Michael Gillard, reported the illegal cash payments for sensitive Home Office and Police information to New Scotland Yard detectives. In that case it was DS Gary Flood who worked in the Yard’s Extradition Unit. Hunter is believed to have widespread contacts in the Metropolitan Police Service and the HM Revenue and Customs.

Hunter at the time claimed that Flood and he were friends, and that they had a joint bank account for horseracing purposes. Whilst the cash for information continues, more revelations point to a more sinister, unethical and illegal activity. It is now believed that Hunter and Knuckey were reporting back to DC McDonald and DC Greenwood full details of Ibori’s defence and indeed leaking confidential defence documents and advice covered by legal privilege. These actions would have undermined the defence catastrophically. Operation Eleveden is headed by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers. Its objective is to investigate police corruption, and in particular illegal payments to serving police officers, in exchange for information. Just how widespread the culture of illegal cash payments is, is unknown.

Colleagues of DC McDonald, DC Clarke, DC Greenwood and DI Walters will be dumbfounded, but this would explain the wholesale vilification of
Ibori over the last five years as the allegations pile up including media misinformation, unethical conduct, misrepresentation and misleading of the
courts. The IPCC refused to comment, maintaining that it does not discuss live Investigations, and will present its findings in due
course.

The police chief in charge of Operation Eleveden, Deputy Assistant Sue Akers, was recently outraged as a Detective in her own team was arrested over leaks to journalists. The Police chief will want unambiguous and unequivocal answers in the face of incontrovertible evidence of corruption and
abuse of office.

In light of new evidence, the Home Affairs Select Committee has also commenced a full-scale investigation. Mr Keith Vaz, Head of the Committee said: “There are many reputable private investigators who provide a valuable service but some elements of the industry still operate in the shadows. We hope to discover the full extent of the activities of private investigators and to decide whether the public… should be protected by a regime of statutory regulation.”

More details have emerged on how former governor of Delta State, Mr James Ibori hired investigators to obtain information on a British police investigation into his business affairs. The London-based private detective agency then paid Met officers £20,000 for inside information that helped Ibori's defence lawyers. After much perseverance, an elombah.com investigator this week was able to see a copy of the 18th August 2011 referral complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, IPCC which is being jointly conducted by the Directorate of Professional Standards, DPS.

The referral was made specifically by the Met Chief Deputy Assistant Commissioner Sue Akers who elombah.com believes will now incorporate into the London Metropolitan Poilce’s main anti-corruption enquiry, Operation Elveden.

Labour's Deputy Chairman Tom Watson MP, who have successfully exposed the Murdoch cash for information - corrupt payments to british Police officers is also spearheading this matter.

“The story has now got its legs and has a very long way to run”, elombah.com was told

The allegations are referenced in versions: 'Police Corruption - Illegal payments - Trading in Police information'.

The Elombah.com investigator said the key points from the report are as follows:

1. "This letter is intended to provide you brief details as to the making of illegal cash payments to serving police officers within the Metropolitan Police Service. Documents evidencing such payments are attached herewith for your information."

2. "Whilst the News of World inquiry has highlighted telephone hacking primarily of celebrities and public figures for which serving police officers were illegally paid significant cash payments, a wider and more lucrative area is the provision of sensitive police cash intelligence to businessmen and other wealthy individuals who are the subject of police investigations."

3. "Another private detective agency that has provided sensitive case information to those who are the subject of police and/or revenue investigations in return for cash. "

4. "One such agency that has been identified is called RISC Management Limited. It is based in Mayfair and operated by a former New Scotland Yard Detective - Keith Hunter."

5. "It was the contact base that provided the former detectives the ability to obtain sensitive information on cases being investigated and prosecuted by the UK authorities. Information obtained was then sold to their clients and in some cases used by the officers to pervert the course of justice."

6. "At least six current and live cases have been identified where information has illegally been exchanged for cash. They all involve Hunter/RISC as the agency corrupting the officers. These cases are as follows:
, 2. James Ibori - A Nigerian politician currently facing criminal proceedings who paid off £20,000 to serving officers of the Metropolitan Police, "

Ibori is not the only foreigner being investigated in connected with this scandal.

According to another report by Elizabeth Jennings (Freelance Journalist) sent to elombah.com, " It is believed that one of the cases includes the Serious Fraud Office’s investigation into the Tchenguiz Brothers, another relates to a high profile African politician, and another to a wealthy foreign businessman facing extradition proceedings. This will be another shocking development into this ever expanding investigation, which seems to be developing with each day."

Allegations of illegal payments were reported by the Times journalist Michael Gillard several years ago but the claims were quickly suppressed, drawing parallels with the recent case involving Ian Hurst, the former army intelligence officer at the centre of the latest phone hacking enquiry.
The Agency has been identified as London based RISC Management Limited; it is operated by Keith Hunter, a former detective of New Scotland Yard. Hunter established the business with his business partner, Nigel Brown, It has been alleged that Hunter used his personal and professional contacts with the Police force to trade in sensitive police and revenue case information for cash.
RISC Management Limited provides a risk management business, which, according to its website, focuses predominantly on corporate investigations, intelligence and security consultancy, specialising in complex and sensitive inquiries for clients from within the legal profession, high net worth individuals and large corporates. It operates in the commercial world in obtaining sensitive information for a tactical advantage in civil and criminal matters for its clients.
The flamboyant Hunter has a known passion for race horses, has the ability through his contacts to obtain banking information, DVLA, itemised telephone records, email interceptions, tax files and anything else that was confidential and would assist his client. This is what is presumably referred to as “sensitive inquiries” on the Company’s website.
This will not be the first time the Agency has come under scrutiny. In 2006, Hunter was named by the Times as having bribed an officer in the Metropolitan Police's Extradition Unit, Detective Sergeant Gary Flood. Flood was suspected of abusing his position as a police officer, by accepting £20,000 in bribes from Russian criminals.
The internal Metropolitan Police investigation at the time decided that there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations. However, fresh, constantly emerging evidence, which is currently being considered by the Anti-Corruption police, is now likely to challenge this.
In the article published by the Times, under the headline “Detectives accused of taking bribes from Russian exiles” there were either strong grounds to believe, or reasonable grounds to suspect, that he had abused his position as a police officer by accepting £20,000 in bribes from some of Russia’s most wanted suspected criminals in return for selling them highly confidential Home Office and police intelligence about attempts to extradite them to Russia to face criminal charges.
The Russian exiles were all in fact clients of RISC and Hunter.
At the same time, allegations also surround the targeting of a number of senior police officers. The communications of Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick were also intercepted. It is believed that her mobile telephone was hacked into by RISC operatives over a sustained period, as were telephones of other senior officers in order to gain information on a number of internal investigations which came close to exposing RISC’s activities.
Most crucial will be the question as to whether this was yet another example of a Police cover-up, in line with the views expressed by Ian Hurst. Mr Hurst, a former army intelligence officer whose computer is believed to have been hacked by News of the World searching for details of the latest IRA informer, believes that the Metropolitan police are attempting to conceal and suppress the allegations in order to
preserve their credibility, accusing them of 'endemic corruption'.
He first spoke out about his suspicions in 2006 but states that the police were reluctant to investigate them at the time. Indeed if they had acted on the information that they had, it would have prevented many more victims. He believes that we are dealing with 'institutionalised corruption', and indeed Scotland Yard is currently investigating the allegations of police misconduct.
Directly following the News of the World cash for information allegations, if proven, this will be a further blow to the Metropolitan Police’s credibility. Public confidence in the police has never been so low. Desperate and positive action is urgently required to reinstate public confidence and restore morale within the force.
These allegations have already resulted in the resignations of the Metropolitan Police's most senior officer, Sir Paul Stephenson and his Assistant John Yates. This shows the extent of the damage that has been caused. Sir Paul Stephenson was alleged to have received £12,000 of hospitality from Champneys, a luxury Health and Spa Centre.
It is now widely accepted that Assistant Commissioner John Yates misled the Parliamentary Committee investigating this matter when giving evidence under oath. Last week Sir Hugh Orde, head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, appeared on the Andrew Marr show.
When asked what should happen to corrupt police officers and if corruption is endemic, he replied:
“Without question. I have zero tolerance of any officer that steps outside that line regardless of their rank or whether they're a sworn officer or indeed a member of support staff supporting policing. There is a zero tolerance of that, and this inquiry or one of the many inquiries will look precisely at that and will pursue police corruption to the ends of the world, absolutely.
Every police officer patrolling the streets this morning expects any corrupt officer that lets the side down, that does huge damage to policing to be locked up and the key thrown away”.
Yet we have now a conflicting statement from the acting Commissioner, Tim Godwin, declaring that corruption within the Metropolitan Police is “in no way endemic”, dismissing claims that the Metropolitan Police had "let its guard down and allowed corruption to infiltrate the police force".

In the words of Elizabeth Jennings, a Freelance Journalist:
"We can only hope the Police hierarchy will now wisely use this opportunity to deal with this beast of endemic corruption internally and in the forthcoming judicial enquiry before Mr Justice Levesen. The scope of the enquiry is already considerable, and it can only really start after the police allegations are fully investigated and concluded."
Deputy Assistant Sue Akers certainly has a difficult task ahead. It begs the question, just how deep does corruption extend within the London Police force?

Elombah.com can now confirm that the 'international politician' involved in a £20,000 bribery scandal involving the London Metropolitan Police and a private investigating agency is the Nigerian flamboyant politician, Mr James Ibori. Scotland Yard is investigating claims that its officers took bribes in return for leaking sensitive information from an ongoing criminal investigation. Anti-corruption detectives then launched a probe into allegations that
 serving Met officers were paid by private investigators working for "an international politician".
 
After four years of playing cat and mouse with Nigerian and British authorities, the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, was extradited from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he had sought refuge last year after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tried to put him on trial for stealing funds belonging to Delta State, where he was governor for eight years.  
 
On September 20 2011, a Southwark crown court in London ordered former Governor James Ibori of Delta State to be remanded in prison till February 13, 2012 when his trial will commence in a 14-count charge relating to money laundering preferred against him.
 
Elombah.com have been keeping tabs on developments concerning the serious allegations of Police corruption and James Ibori.
Fresh news is, following New Scotland Yard’s and The Metropolitan Police Authority’s own investigations into the allegations, the matter has been formally referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
 
A complaint only gets referred in the event of serious findings of misconduct on the part of a UK police officer(s). Enquiries conducted by elombah.com reveal that "substantial incontrovertible evidence supporting the allegations" was reviewed during the investigation.        

The UK media were unable to publish whilst New Scotland Yard’s investigation was being conducted. The IPCC referral is a serious development.
Follwing the referreal, the Evening Standard of 31 Oct 2011 revealed that "the high-profile figure" hired investigators to obtain information on a police investigation into his business affairs. The papers allege the London-based private detective agency then paid Met officers £20,000 for inside information that helped his defence lawyers.
 
Evening Standard did not reveal the name of the "high profile figure". 
 
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We received a complaint alleging that illegal payments had been made to police officers for information (unconnected to phone hacking or the media). The Directorate of Professional Standards referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and they have agreed to supervise a DPS investigation into the allegations."
 
The Met is already investigating officers for receiving illegal payments from the Murdoch media empire for private information on the royal family. Scotland Yard has been criticised for its closeness to News International and for failing to properly investigate phone-hacking at the News of the World. The scandal claimed the scalps of two senior Met officers, including Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.
 
Tom Watson, the Labour MP who helped to expose the phone-hacking, said: "This is a very serious development and goes to the heart of the inappropriate relationships between the Met and [private investigators] that have emerged in recent months."
 
Documents sent to the Met and seen by the Evening Standard suggest the inquiry was launched after leaked invoices, seen by the newspaper, showed private investigators billed the politician for information from police. One £5,000 payment was allegedly made to a source for information "on forthcoming strategy to be deployed by police".
The Standard said this was a named Met police detective. Another invoice shows the agency billed the politician £700 for a four-hour meeting about "eliciting feedback,  during earlier police interviews".
 
The politician allegedly hired a well-known City law firm to defend him from the police inquiries. In turn, it hired the private detective agency.
"The Company dealt with telephone/email interception, mobile interception, localised bugging/debugging, any type of record tracing, bank account details, security protection, and more importantly provided intelligence and information on the progress of police, activity," a whistleblower claims.
 
In the October 30 2011 report, the Evening Standard said they had been told the names of the alleged corrupt police officers, the international politician and the private detective agency but cannot name them for legal reasons.
 
However, last night a long term contact told elombah.com: "I can confirm that the 'international politician' has been identified as Mr James Ibori. There will be breaking news from the UK media now that publication can proceed. Looks like a lot of dirty laundry is going to come out. Quite ironic given the original allegations against the flamboyant Mr Ibori are Money Laundering!"

Ibori is not the only foreigner connected with the scandal.