James Ibori Expresses Concerns Over UK's $129m Confiscation Plan, Fears Lack of Fairness
James Ibori, the ex-governor of Delta State, expressed his diminishing hopes of achieving justice, as a London court prepares to seize over £100 million ($129 million) that belongs to him. Recently, a state prosecutor formally requested the London court to proceed with the confiscation process.
Ibori was incarcerated in a UK prison following charges of laundering a "corruptly acquired fortune."
In 2012, he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and money laundering, which led to a 13-year jail sentence. After serving half of his prison term in pre and post-trial detention, as is customary, Ibori returned to Nigeria in 2017 and was absent from Thursday's hearing.
During the hearing, lead prosecution counsel Jonathan Kinnear informed the court that the total amount to be confiscated from Ibori was £101.5 million. Failure to comply could result in a prison sentence ranging from five to ten years.
Judge David Tomlinson of Southwark Crown Court is expected to issue his order on Friday or shortly after considering arguments from both parties.
Expressing his concerns on his Facebook page, Ibori conveyed his dwindling hope for a fair hearing. Additionally, he revealed his intentions to pursue justice by seeking redress in the highest courts of the UK.
In his statement, he remarked, "The proceedings in the Southwark Crown Court are finally coming to an end. Judge Tomlinson is expected to issue a confiscation order that ought to be reasonable and not excessively harsh."
"Nevertheless, given the events that unfolded in court today, my optimism for a fair outcome is diminishing rapidly."
"After the extensive two-year duration it took to draft this judgment, it appears evident that many essential aspects have been overlooked, with expediency seemingly taking precedence over justice.
Consequently, I am determined to escalate my pursuit of justice to the highest courts in the UK."
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