Fresh attempt has begun in the United Kingdom to confiscate £117m stolen by former Governor of James Ibori of Delta State and return the loot to Nigeria.
Mr Ibori’s confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act began at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday and may last four weeks.
Jonathan Kinnear, QC, prosecuting, said: “Mr Ibori, back in 1999 cheated his way into the position of governor of the Delta State, he did that firstly by failing to declare criminal convictions that he had in the UK which would have disqualified him from being governor of the state and secondly to that he lied about his date of birth in order to prevent any checks revealing those convictions. Once he became governor.
“He remained governor for two terms, over a period of eight years between 1999 and 2007, during that time he abused his position of trust by systematically looting Delta State funds for his own benefit.
“Mr Ibori through his lawyers accepted the prosecution case in entirety, no aspects were disputed.”
He added that Ibori had accepted that he had defrauded the Nigerian government.
“He corruptly awarded contracts to his sister and his mistress, Ms Undoamaka Onuigbo.
“Within a very short time of being elected he came into possession of a huge sum of money, there is a great deal of documentary evidence that proves has a large amount of money.
“There is no explanation of the source of the wealth that was not obtained corruptly.
“His case now really involves going behind all these statements he made and saying the money was for other purposes.
“This was the plundering of funds from that state using multiple people, solicitors and jurisdictions.”
Ibori’s wife Theresa, mistress Onuigbo and sister Christine Ibori-Idie were jailed for five years each in 2012 for money laundering offences.
