Samafal Posted April 17, 2012 James Ibori: How a thief almost became Nigeria's president By Andrew Walker Nigeria analyst James Ibori (file photo) Continue reading the main story Related Stories Nigeria official 'stole millions' Nigeria country profile The story of how James Ibori went from convicted thief in London in the 1990s, to become governor of a wealthy oil-producing Nigerian state and then to a British prison is a remarkable one. It is the story of a wily political operator, backing the right political horses and shifting allegiances when expedient. Given slightly different circumstances, according to one observer, it could have seen Ibori in the presidential villa rather than a British jail cell. Ibori's defence in the face of allegations had always been that he had a successful business career and had made money independent of government. But in 1991, he was working in a hardware store in the London suburb of Neasden. (left-right) James Ibori"s wife Theresa Ibori, his sister Christine Ibori-Idie, and his mistress Udoamaka Okoronkwo Some of Ibori's assets were in the name of his wife, sister and mistress The prosecution in this trial told a judge he was earning around £15,000 ($24,000) a year. He was caught by his employer allowing his wife to walk through the till he was manning without paying for goods. They both pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court and were fined. In 1992, he was convicted for possession of a stolen credit card, which had £1,000 spent on it, and was again fined in a UK court. 'Murky business' Ibori then returned to Nigeria intending to become a political operator. The country was about to be tipped into a tumultuous period. Military leader Ibrahim Babangida had scheduled elections to return Nigeria to democracy in June 1993. Continue reading the main story James Ibori: The story so far 1958: Born in Delta state, UK police believe, saying he previously lied about his age 1980s: Moved to UK 1991: Convicted of stealing from DIY shop Wickes 1992: Convicted of credit card fraud 1993-4: Allies himself to Nigeria's then military ruler Sani Abacha 1999: Elected Delta state governor 2007: Stepped down as governor 2007: UK assets worth $35m frozen December 2007: Arrested in Nigeria on corruption charges 2009: Nigeria court dismisses charges April 2010: Ibori's supporters attack police as they try to arrest him May 2010: Arrested in Dubai 2011: Extradited to UK 2012: Pleads guilty to money-laundering in London court Ibori worked for the governorship campaign of a friend. The experience gave him good connections with the parties that would eventually merge to form the People's Democratic Party, currently ruling Nigeria. The 1993 elections were cancelled by Mr Babangida. Later that year, Gen Sani Abacha staged a coup, cementing the military's grip on power for another five years. According to Antony Goldman, who worked as a journalist in Nigeria for many years and has followed Ibori's career closely, this is when Ibori made his first shift of political master, offering his services to Abacha. "He had an unspecified role in security," Mr Goldman said. "That could be anything, it was a very murky business." Abacha was accused of murdering political opponents and ruthlessly crushing dissent and pro-democracy movements. In the mid-1990s, Ibori was questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in the US about how he came into the possession of millions of dollars that he transferred to accounts in the US. The FBI suspected the money came from advance fee fraud, the infamous Nigerian 419 scam, but he was able to prove the money came from his work with Abacha, Mr Goldman said. Abacha died in 1998 and Ibori switched horses again, attaching himself to influential northern politician Atiku Abubakar, who went on to become vice-president. Medically impossible In 1999, Ibori took out a mortgage on a property in Abbey Road, London. To do that, he got a new passport with a false birth date to mask his previous convictions. James Ibori in police hand-out James Ibori has now been convicted three times in the UK The birth date he chose was in fact medically impossible as it was only a month after his sister's birthday, the prosecution told the court. Ibori was installed as the governor of the oil-rich Delta State in the 1999 elections. In order to take office in Nigeria, he had to swear an affidavit that he had no convictions. To do this, he used the same birth date he had made up to acquire his mortgage. It was this evidence that would, in a London court 14 years later, spell the end for Ibori. Soon after he became governor, Ibori paid off the Abbey Road mortgage in cash. He went on to buy three other properties in the UK. He paid £2.2 million in cash for a house in the plush London suburb of Hampstead. 'Bankrolled election' In 2005 the Metropolitan Police began to take an interest in Ibori after they came across a purchase order for a private jet, made through his solicitor in London. It was just after this that Ibori shifted horses again, switching his allegiance from Mr Abubakar to the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote Then Mr Ibori would have met Queen Elizabeth at the state house, instead of serving at her pleasure” Antony Goldman Nigeria analyst In 2006, President Obasanjo recruited Ibori to help him force through a change in the constitution to allow him to run for a third term as president. When that plan failed, Ibori promised his allegiance to Mr Obasanjo's anointed successor, Umaru Yar'Adua. At the ruling party's pre-election convention in 2006, Ibori was on hand to lift up the northern governor's hands in a display of victory - hours before delegates from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) voted to select him as their candidate. Ibori is then accused of bankrolling the 2007 Yar'Adua election campaign, although this has been denied. Mr Goldman says he understands Ibori was promised the vice-president's job, in return for his support. But Mr Yar'Adua, who had been ill for many years, died in office. His Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan succeeded him and remains Nigeria's president. Despite being a fellow former governor of a neighbouring oil state, Ibori and Mr Jonathan were by now political enemies. In 2010, President Jonathan set the country's anti-corruption police, the Economic and Financial Crimes commission on him, but their officers were ambushed when they came to arrest him. Ibori left Nigeria shortly afterwards. He went to Dubai, whose government arrested him and transferred him to the UK to face trial. Mr Goldman says had Yar'Adua lived, and made Ibori his vice-president, he would have had a clear run to become president. "Then Mr Ibori would have met Queen Elizabeth at the state house, instead of serving at her pleasure," Mr Goldman said. More on This Story Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samafal Posted April 17, 2012 Nigeria ex-Delta state governor James Ibori guilty plea James Ibori in police hand-out James Ibori bought one London mansion for £2.2m in cash, police say Continue reading the main story Related Stories Nigeria country profile James Ibori, a former governor of one of Nigeria's oil-producing states, has pleaded guilty in a UK court to 10 counts of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud. British police accuse him of stealing $250m (£160m) over eight years. The prosecutor called him a "thief in government house". Ibori, once seen as one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most influential politicians, was arrested in 2010 in Dubai and then extradited to London. Some $35m of his alleged UK assets were frozen in 2007. As his trial at London's Southwark Crown Court was about to begin, Mr Ibori changed his plea to guilty and admitted stealing money from Delta state and laundering it in London through a number of offshore companies. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote We will now be actively seeking the confiscation of all of his stolen assets so they can be repatriated for the benefit of the people of Delta state” Paul Whatmore Metropolitan Police The BBC's Chris Summers says between 20 and 30 of Mr Ibori's supporters turned up to court - some wearing T-shirts with the slogan "Free Ibori". There was not enough room for them all in the public gallery. Prosecuting QC Sasha Wass said Mr Ibori, 53, had "tricked" his way into becoming Delta state governor, by giving a false date of birth and claiming he had no criminal record. "He was never the legitimate governor and there was effectively a thief in government house. As the pretender of that public office, he was able to plunder Delta state's wealth and hand out patronage." He is due to be sentenced on 16 April. 'Lavish lifestyle' Ibori's wife, Theresa, his sister, Christine, his mistress, Udoamaaka Okoronkwo, and his London solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, have all been convicted of money-laundering. Their convictions could only be reported on Monday after reporting restrictions were lifted. Continue reading the main story The rise and fall of James Ibori 1958: Born in Delta state, UK police believe, saying he previously lied about his age 1980s: Moved to UK 1991: Convicted of stealing from DIY shop Wickes 1992: Convicted of credit card fraud 1993-4: Allies himself to Nigeria's then military ruler Sani Abacha 1999: Elected Delta state governor 2007: Stepped down as governor 2007: UK assets worth $35m frozen December 2007: Arrested in Nigeria on corruption charges 2009: Nigeria court dismisses charges April 2010: Ibori's supporters attack police as they try to arrest him May 2010: Arrested in Dubai 2011: Extradited to UK 2012: Pleads guilty to money-laundering in London court How a thief almost became president Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had asked the UK's Metropolitan Police to look into the ex-governor's financial affairs. "The vast sums of money involved were used to fund Mr Ibori's lavish lifestyle," Detective Inspector Paul Whatmore, the officer in charge of the investigation, said. "We will now be actively seeking the confiscation of all of his stolen assets so they can be repatriated for the benefit of the people of Delta State." He said that the money Ibori stole should have been used to pay for sanitation, power supplies and healthcare for some of the poorest people in the world. Ibori spent some of the stolen money buying six houses in London - he paid £2.2m in cash for one Hampstead mansion - and put his children in expensive British private schools, police say. DIY theft Three of the money-laundering charges relate to the sale of Delta state's share in mobile phone company V-Mobile to neighbouring Akwa Ibom state. (left-right) James Ibori"s wife Theresa Ibori, his sister Christine Ibori-Idie, and his mistress Udoamaka Okoronkwo The wife, sister and mistress of James Ibori have also been convicted of money-laundering This raised $37m which Ibori stole and laundered through his solicitor Gohil, who has been jailed for 10 years. In 2007, a UK court froze assets allegedly belonging to him worth $35m. His annual salary as Delta state governor was less than $25,000. He had already left the UK when his assets were seized but he was arrested in Nigeria later that year. The charges were dismissed but he was then re-arrested in Dubai on a British warrant. Ibori has been convicted in the UK before - in 1991 for stealing, in cahoots with his wife who worked as a cashier, from the Neasden, London, branch of the DIY shop Wickes. He was also found guilty in 1992 for being in possession of a stolen credit card and having used it to fraudulently withdraw $1,590. Nigeria is one of the world's biggest oil producers. Under its federal system, state governors enjoy huge powers and control budgets larger than those of many West African countries. They have immunity from prosecution while in office. Two other former state governors have been convicted of corruption charges in Nigeria, after fleeing the UK while free on bail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samafal Posted April 17, 2012 Former Nigeria governor James Ibori jailed for 13 years It is thought Ibori could have stolen many millions aimed at helping Nigeria's poor Continue reading the main story Related Stories Nigeria official 'stole millions' James Ibori: How a thief almost became Nigeria's president Minister in whistleblower apology A former London DIY store cashier who became governor of an oil-rich Nigerian state has been jailed for 13 years for fraud totalling nearly £50m ($77m). James Ibori, former governor of Delta state, admitted 10 counts of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. Southwark Crown Court was told the amount he stole from the people of Delta state was "unquantified". Ibori, who evaded capture in Nigeria after a mob of supporters attacked police, was arrested in Dubai in 2010. He was extradited to the UK, where he was prosecuted based on evidence from the Metropolitan Police. Continue reading the main story Analysis Angus Crawford BBC News Police officers stood, their arms crossed, in front of the courtroom door. Admission was for press and family only. Crowds of supporters and critics pushed and shoved and tutted about not being able to get into the hearing. But the court authorities were taking no chances after events on Monday when people surged into the hearing knocking the prosecutor off her feet. Protesters outside chanted slogans celebrating Ibori's sentence. Supporters glared at them. Despite admitting stealing tens of millions of pounds from state coffers meant to help some of the poorest people in Nigeria, he still has some important friends. But two much bigger questions hover over the whole trial. First, when a man who has an official salary of £4,000 a year buys a house in Hampstead worth £2.2m, why did no-one smell a rat? Second, why did some of the best known banks in the world not ask questions about where the cash he deposited with them came from? One of the counts Ibori admitted related to a $37m (£23m) fraud pertaining to the sale of Delta State's share in Nigerian privatised phone company company V Mobile. He was governor of Delta State between May 1999 and May 2007. Sasha Wass, QC, prosecuting, told the court Ibori "deliberately and systematically" defrauded the people he was elected to represent. The court heard he came to the UK in the 1980s and worked as a cashier at a Wickes DIY store in Ruislip, north west London. He was convicted in 1991 of stealing from the store but then returned to Nigeria and began his climb up the People's Democratic Party (PDP) network. When he ran for governor he lied about his date of birth to hide his criminal conviction in the UK - which would have prevented him standing for office. Ibori, whose address was given as Primrose Hill, north London, claims to be 53 but police in London say he is 49. Sentencing him, Judge Anthony Pitts told Ibori: "You lived modestly in London in the 1990s and no-one I think hearing at that time would imagine the multi millionaire high profile governor that you became some eight or nine years later." He became governor in 1999 but soon began taking money from state coffers. Judge Pitts said: "It was during those two terms that you turned yourself in short order into a multi-millionaire through corruption and theft in your powerful position as Delta state governor." Ibori bought: A house in Hampstead, north London, for £2.2m A property in Shaftesbury, Dorset, for £311,000 A £3.2m mansion in Sandton, near Johannesburg, South Africa A fleet of armoured Range Rovers valued at £600,000 A £120,000 Bentley A Mercedes Maybach for 407,000 euros that was shipped direct to his mansion in South Africa After the hearing Sue Patten, head of the Crown Prosecution Service central fraud group, said it would bid to confiscate the assets Ibori had acquired his riches "at the expense of the some of the poorest people in the world". 'Zero tolerance' International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: "James Ibori's sentence sends a strong and important message to those who seek to use Britain as a refuge for their crimes. "Corruption is a cancer in developing countries and the coalition government has a zero tolerance approach to it." On Monday, the BBC's Newsnight revealed an equity fund backed by the UK Department for International Development's private enterprise arm, CDC Group, was being investigated by Nigerian officials. It uncovered claims suggesting CDC Group put $47.5m (£29.9m) in to the private fund, which invested in Nigerian companies allegedly linked to Ibori. DfID said the allegations dated to 2009 and that CDC, which is overseen by Mr Mitchell, always carried out "full and thorough" checks before investing in a fund manager. CDC had investigated the claims at the time, finding "no indication that British funding had been misused", it said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Samafal Posted April 17, 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17739388 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
