The former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, is at risk of bagging a fresh 10-year jail term in the United Kingdom. A court in the UK, even as a court is set to order the seizure of more than £100 million ($129 million) from him.
This comes about six years after Ibori’s return to Nigeria after serving a prison sentence for money laundering and fraud charges.
The UK government had indicted and sentenced him to 13 years in prison for offenses bordering on embezzlement of public funds and money laundering.
He was, however, released in 2017 after serving half of the jail term.
But in a recent development, Judge David Tomlinson of Southwark Crown Court has made factual findings regarding the amount of money linked to the former governor.
The prosecution and the defense, during a hearing on Thursday, presented their arguments on how the confiscation figure should be calculated based on the judge’s findings.
The prosecution lawyer, Jonathan Kinnear, told the court that the total amount that should be confiscated from Ibori was 101.5 million pounds and that if he failed to pay, he should face an additional prison term of between five and 10 years.
The judge is expected to conclude and issue an order on Friday or soon after.
In 2011, the 63-year-old former governor was extradited to London from Dubai after fleeing Nigeria.
The following year, Ibori admitted to 10 charges of fraud and money laundering and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Ibori was released from prison on December 21, 2016, upon a court order, Channels Television reported.
The judge, Mrs. Juliet May, ordered the immediate release of Ibori, a judgment Ibori’s spokesman, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, described as a major victory against the British Home Office, at the Royal Court of Justice, Queen’s Court 1, London.
Counsel to the Home Office wanted Ibori to remain in detention after he had served his jail term.
But the Crown Prosecution lawyer, Sian Davies, did not object to Ibori’s release and return to Nigeria.
