James Ibori Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison in UK Court
Posted on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at 3:25 PMBy Adeola Adeyemo
James Ibori, former governor of Delta state has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for corruption and money laundering charges at the Southwark Crown Court 9 in London.
His sentence was announced at about 3.20pm today by Judge Anthony Pitts.
Earlier on, his lawyers had tried to make a case for a lenient sentencing. His lawyer, Nicholas Pernell blamed Badrash Gohil and former Akwa Ibom state governor, Victor Attah, for the V-Mobile scam saying they were the architects of the fraud. He further credited his client with every development in Nigeria, and especially in Delta state, from the banking reforms, to peace in the Niger Delta, education, and building of low-cost housing. Also in his defence, he stated that his client, James Ibori, played a part in supporting British industry even before he became governor. As evidence, he cited a letter from British Airways, thanking Ibori for restoring direct flights between Nigeria and Britain.
Mr. Pernell, in his conclusion, asked the Judge to consider the pressure that his client has been under since investigatons began in 2005, and also the accused’s children who now have both their parents in custody before passing his sentence.
Also in his defence, veteran sportsman, John Fashanu, made an appearance in the court today. He testified saying the former governor achieved a lot in sports, and was instrumental to the end of militancy in the state. He told the court that Ibori built nine mini-sports stadia and three Olympic-sized stadia in Delta state and also built the first shooting range in Nigeria.
The court went for a recess at about 12.30pm and reconvened at 2.25pm after which his sentence was read.
James Ibori had earlier pleaded guilty to a number of corruption and money laundering charges against him put at about $250million before Judge Pitts. This includes the V-Mobile and Bombardaire scams which amounted to $50million. Ibori and Victor Attah, former Akwa Ibom state governor also formed a phantom company called ADF to siphon US$37.5million from Delta and Akwa Ibom states’ shares in V-Mobile. He was accused of embezzling these funds during his tenure as governor and using most of them to live a lavish lifestyle and acquire property and assets around the world.
Judge Pitts said that the sentencing will not be the end of the matter as his property will also be confiscated.
News Source: Daily Times
Tags: James Ibori, John Fashanu
Finally justice prevail.. This wil send a signal to Nigerian politcan who embessl and involve in many corruption.
Furthermore, it shame to Nigeria Judiciary and our parlament as a whole.
John Fashanu is a complete plonker. Well done British legal system.
Are you surprised? 419 by stealth!
“He further credited his client with every development in Nigeria, and especially in Delta state, from the banking reforms, to peace in the Niger Delta, education, and building of low-cost housing.”
LMAOOOOOOOOOO HAHAHAHAHAHA…. Abeg this Adeola Adeyemo is too funny.
On a serious note. I hope Ibori is coming to serve his time in a Nigerian prison? He must suffer well. Other crooked politicans, hope you’re watching. OHIMAI AMAIZE aka MRFIXNIGERIA aka MRFIXMYPOCKET….. HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING….
In a Nigerian prison? God forbid! They’ll release him on some pretext in a minute! Please stop with the expensive jokes. Don’t you know where you’re from again?
exactly! let them keep him abroad where they can make fun of him
Well deserved punishment. It’s high time our corrupted ‘leaders’ are brought to justice. If what’s happened to james ibori happened frequently as to politicians then we can clearly say that corruption in Nigeria is on its way to eradication.
P.S I hope our so-called leaders learn from that of ibori’s. IMO
Well done to the UK govt. If na my country now we no hear anything. And for the records I was there live to see his ugly face! smh
http://personalstuvs.blogspot.com
John Fashanu…ahh, hope you are well and one soccer ball did not hit your head? Luckily for your you your reputation is half-past gone so nothing left at this point. Eya Ibori, life is governed by principles, one of which is the principle of sowing and reaping.
This is shame on our judicial system, if Ibori had been here in Nigaria, this would never have been possible. The worst case senario would be that he will pay some cash It brings to fore the level of corruption in our beloved country. I hope we take a cue from this.
Ibori too do, Abeg………
“He further credited his client with every development in Nigeria, and especially in Delta state, from the banking reforms, to peace in the Niger Delta, education, and building of low-cost housing.”
LMAOOOOOOOOOO HAHAHAHAHAHA…. Abeg this Adeola Adeyemo is too funny.
On a serious note. I hope Ibori is coming to serve his time in a Nigerian prison? He must suffer well. Other crooked politicans, hope you’re watching. MRFIXNIGERIA aka MRFIXMYPOCKET….. HOPE YOU’RE WATCHING….
Oh happy day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How are mighty fallen. It goes to show that we may evade justice all we want, we may run from it and pay our way past it, but when its time for it to catch up with us, it will catch up with us.
It just feels bad what this tells of our judicial and justice system in Nigeria, that not withstanding, even though they say justice delayed is justice denied, i bet justice eventually comes and its a great meal when served right.
goood…………..what of his wife and mistress?
What is this John Fashanu saying. Chai!!!
that was good work done by the u k court. nigeria judiciary is nothing to write about.
we all know that Uduaghan is the next on line. God is workng out somethint for Deltans
John Fashanu will not kill me! nine mini-sports stadia and three Olympic-sized stadiums!!??? oh my! how come we never heard of it?
I am happy to be a life seeing James Ibori going to jail for what he put my dear state into thank God for today, many more are still in government we are waiting and washing…. yara
John fashumu wants to tanish his image for corruption; james ibori’s sentence is justify. Well done jurges
Delta States has 3 Olympic Sized stadium and 9 mini ones? Oya where are the Deltans oo make una confirm. James Ibori, serves you right!
Kudos to the chief judge and other membes of both UK and Nigeria judiciary who took active part in James Ibori’s trial.Well,everything has been laid to rest with the 13 years prison sentence.Let this judgement serve as a warning to other public office holders.
There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian judiciary.Criminal investigation starts with arrest,investigation and proof.These processes are carried out by the Executive arm,failure of which the judiciary discharge and acquitted Ibori
Well well, I am surprise that the delta state government is yet to condem. Ibori. What about mr victor attah?
The masses will definately laugh last, and longest too. Next!
British justice in action well done. But its not just Ibori there are many other corrupt and discridited Nigerian politicians. I only wish that they could be extradited to Britain.
IBORI DONT MIND THIS BAD BELLY PEOPLE. YOU ARE STILL THE BEST GOVERNOR DELTA STATE HAS EVER PRODUCED. WE LOVE YOU AND WE STAND BY YOU AT THIS TRYING TIMES. IT IS WELL.
follow him now
you are simply an hypocrite full stop.
Lol….Go and meet basket mouth for a job!! Hahahah…. Jokes!!!
You clearly are an impoverished goat.
ROTFLMAO. Chai! Nigerians! I love you all.
@ moses, you are a thief and one of them who benefited from the stolen public funds that has left hundreds of families walloing in abject poverty. don’t worry hand go soon catch you and you will be singing a song like your thief brother, ibori.
JOHN FASHANU is worse than an infidel my goodness how could he stoop that low i hope they rape the hell out of James ibori in prison nonsense 13 years is too small
John did not stoop low,he has always been that low.
so how old is ibori + 13years? he’s so finished pls judiciary add plus hard labour without mercy, odidirigbo ole thiefffffffffffffffffffffffffff rot there and to others ur days r numbered, so says the Lord, awon olosi
Oh puhlease. Finished???! He’ll just be 67. He still has lots of time to come back and be PDP chairman. Isn’t Alhaji Tukur like 80?
Thanks to british judiciary, even 13years is little, it should βε̲̣̣̣̥ life inprisonmend, these people steal this big money while lot of people α̲̅я̩̥̊ε̲̣̣̣̥ out there suffering, may GỢ̥D̶̲̥̅̊ punish Чø̲̣u̶̲̥̅̊ ibori A̶̲̥̅̊₪d̶̲̥̅̊ people that steal money like Чø̲̣u̶̲̥̅̊ I̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ Nija
Very foolish and stupid for John Fashun to go to the court house to defend a public funds thief, a looter, election ringer, fraud, John Fashun you are enemy to deltans, i do not blame but you just expose your self to the entire world on how corrupt you are, shame on you, what did you know about delta state, idiot.
Pls, reduce the years to 8yrs. Ibori has tried for deltans. They just hates him because of his cousin Uduagha.
They just hate him because of his cousin? Or is it the other way round? Are you from Mars???! Seriously! Anyways, they are all a bunch of thieving criminals!
lmao @ the comments.
Shame to Nigeria! Really? How do we expect to be respected when we can’t even handle a minor case of money laundering? Accountability much? smh. We had to go all the way to London to receive our international disgrace award! I’m VERY glad justice prevailed.
You can’t eat your cake and have it, sir—ESP outside the borders of Nigeria!
am drawn to tears……..this is someone’s father, only if he knew but everyone was doing it, its so hard to resist, trust me it is. God pls remember him
LooooL…this comment is funny :p
lool.. u are too funny. so the masses of naijer and labour they made, am sure it was someones’s father… if all the allegations are true, I will say God worked in the faovour of people that have been cheated for years.
That serves him right. Thank God he was tried and convicted in UK. This case would have been swept under the carpet and sidelined if it was heared in Nigerian. This is a challenge to our judiaciary.
Ibori, enjoy the 13 yrs of men giving “it hard” to you in jail. Ole oshi!
Where did Fashanu see the stadia he is reffering to? Is it the renovation of the Warri stadium abi na d children field wey he build for Oghara naim be olympic sized stadiu? Na wa o! The evil that men do; waits for them at heathrow airport. Odidigborigbo of UK prison!!!
If one greed infested and morally challenged maggot could eat through 150million dollars, imagine how much other politicians past, present, up and coming have devoured their way through all at the expense of the poverty stricken masses. Not to say that all Nigerian politicians are theives but his actions are hardly exceptional. In our country her is the norm. We can’t wait for all of them to fall into the trap of forerign justice system we need to make a change ourselves. Once again Nigeria is amongst the international community, Nigeria is synonymous with fraud. It is well
let make 31
years service him right
It is no longer a matter of how far, but how well… Good riddance to bad rubbish…. Stupid man.
After all the scandals involving corrupt british business men in Nigeria, how many have we sentenced? Arent u all ashamed of urselves? Its our money he stole not thiers. We should do the sentencing. If the west was so transperent, why didnt Iweala get the job? wasnt she more qualified? just like femi kuti; i sorry for some of u. No matter how corrrupt our legal system was, we should have left Ibori to it. As mothers, if ur child steals from u, would u leave him to be disciplined by another? Think about it. U think the west should always benchmark us? Lets wait and see what they’ll do to the Norwegien guy. Then after that, i’m sure u’ll change ur mind.
lukin 4 d ‘like’ icon or som’n…stupid man like d rest of ‘em dat av nt been caught!!!and thumbs down to nigeria’s judicial system…shame to those up der and those who collected bribe 4rm him 2 keep him ‘safe’..SHAME!!!beta ask God 4 4giveness n change!old cargoes,old brains,money looting scumbags!!!!BN post dis ooo
c how he luks in d picture sef…he didnt even av 2 wait 2 reach d prison b4 he started rotting!wicked man like d others..awon ika,oloshi,oloriburuku,agbalagba jatijati,oga ise jibiti,olorinla,elenu bi ikebe alangba.may dey catch d rest like him who av not been discovered in Jesus mighty name.AMEN!!!olodo rabata…u and ur wife,shame 2 humanity!!!i need to open a blog 4 dis sef…
lool.. I choked on my laughter.. ur comment is a strong comeback and funny too.
Glad! Glad!! Glad!!! Glad that justice finally prevailed. Very glad. Nigerian judiciary system my foot! Case will be on for years and next thing you don’t hear anything again shebi Gbenga Daniel is being tried, lets wait and see what comes out of it. I dont know if our leaders dont read the news or have children who are Nigerians.
iborioooooo, iborioooooo, iborioooooo. Hw many times i call u? Ur sufferness na *3. No worry ursef about bin lonely. Ur blood tif broda go soon com kip u company, though u go first am comot 4 prison cos him go spend 39yrs.
I am so dissapointed in John Fash, When ibori was there they had the worst roads in asaba not to talk of other things and places abeg jor, they might not catch all of them govt peps but at least they have caught 1, we thank God! let him serve his prison sentence in the uk cos if they take him to naija, he will surely bribe them to release him like he has brided John fash in d past
Who said fash collected bribe. Common u guys should speak with facts.
halleelluuuyyyaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Please, on a serious note, the one time Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa should also be tried and jailed on the grounds of gross abuse of office because he shameless defended James Onanefe Ibori when investigations were initiated by the Scotland Yard on his money laundering activities.
Michael Kaase Aondoakaa really put up a show of shame in his defence.
welldone to united kingdom’s justice system…. I wish this kind of justice is gonna be practice in our country( Nigeria ). We have corrupt people in Nigeria most of them are the politicians….. @ James Ibori i wish you safe life in prison… This will surely served as deterrence to him and society at large.
eeyah!he shouldnt have kuku put up a fight *sighs and moves in*
http://www.blossom-you.blogspot.co.uk
Kai!! Nwoke a naaaaaaaaa! Greed, not good at all
What a shame. They steal as if they will remain on earth forever.
Finally he goes home where he belongs! LMAO
I really feel bad…. Just for his children’s sake.
he wasant smart…he was just stealling n stealing n stealing without thinking. good for him.idiot!!!
it is wt pain in my hrt 2 c my able governor go 2 jail. Odidigboigbo u did alot in delta state u wil remain d best governor delta has eva produced. It is wel. I luv u
Next Peter Odili………………..Hopefully!!
wot is d way 4ward now? d money recovered frm him(ibori) shod b use 4 d deltans expecially in issele- uku where there is no light 4 d past 5yrs(total blackout)
funny comments!!!! whatsoever you sow you reap! simples!
How are mighty falling, indeed james ibori d governor of all governors is a rare gem.despite all dat transpired i still strongly believe dat one day he’s coming back and would definately ruled the country again
i cant beleive some naijaz idiots are actually wishing him well. heheeee. how can u be so foolish, d guy has cleaned out ur state! can u please wake up and smell d coffee?
Since u r wishing him well, i wish u d same fate also ( corruption+13 yrs imprisonment!)
heeeehheeeeee. ignoramuses
At the point in time…It will be advisable that the money d UK government has recovered so far,d FG of Nigeria should open an account for it, so it could be monitored by profound and God fearing citizens for proper utilization for the recent state of the nation..Cos I know say some group of thieves don dey monitor how the money go take come down, make them share am…Na PDP handwork be that!
The nigerian legal system is so corrupt that such a grievious offence by an ex-gov. would only have attracted something similar to the gaddam sentence given to fellow partner in crime Bode george who only served less than a year in executive detension only to celebrate with his cronies when he was released. So in Nigeria if a prison was solely built for corrupt politicians since our new found democracy it would be empty because the country in too corrupt to properly sentence the corrupt.
God please help him becos his regem is still d best
am surprised some people are wishing the thief well. shame on them. thanks to UK judiciary and govt, and please in case u can come to our aid in Nigeria, thieves like Ibori are still numerous in the country.
Ibori will not come back in Jesus name bcos is a heartless soul, he don’t even consider d masses. He belive he will carry d whole things 2 heaven, God will judge him. Kudos to U K justice that prevail, d money recovered 4rm him shoul use on those area where there is no electricity & road in Delta state.
Amennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
My Dear Governor Ibori, don worry you will be out soonest OK…. just for the main time you helped alot and you did good things in the state, not like your brother Uduaghan who is the real criminal we know… GOD BLESS U AND I PRAY YOU WILL BE OUT SOONEST.
well done
let the old frog rot in jail.. useless leader