RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption '

I am right there with you Demola.  It is not for nothing that the British refer to Politics as the noblest game of all.  They mean Politics with the capital "P" not "chop-I-chop politics.  Politics as truly representative government which reflects the true aspirations of the people. Its manifestations cannot therefore be indifferent to its mode of constitution.  Its about the Platonic allegory of the cave all over again.  If Nigerians can come out sans petroleum subsidy removal and demand Nigerian realpolitiks mode of representation be transformed
so that camouflaged militicians do not commingle with three-a-penny kleptocrats in the hallowed Nigerian political chambers heading sensitive outfit to determine the fate of the flawless, then issues as petrol subsidy removal and executive kleptomania will not persist.

As in the allegory of the cave, the Nigerians are only demanding for the shadow of change without really giving thought to what produces the other: shadow or reality.
 
Olayinka Agbetuyi



 

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CC: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
From: a.dasylva@ibadanculturalstudiesgroup.org
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption '
Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 11:27:40 +0100
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

I am glad that Baba Fagbulu hit the nail right on the head. I believe that Ibori's case is a pointer to many other things that are wrong with both our judicial and electoral processes. Let me comment on the latter, for example. The electoral process as it currently run in the country tends to stifle quality materials, and only gives room to rogues, con men and women, and just a few honest, hardworking patriots who managed to filter through in order to occupy exulted positions of power and authority in this country. How else does one explain why a working civil or public servant must first resign his/her appointment that guarantees livelihood  to contest a political post? How do we justify the exorbitant fees charged those contesting for political posts by political parties? This, in my humble opinion, is a conscious attempt to, unwittingly, cut off genuine patriots whose take-home at the end of the month could hardly take them home! Those who are left to contest are those who could afford the huge amount being charged, never mind the sources. Those who could not afford the fees and are desperate seek for "godfathers" and mortgage their principle for " a political morsel of porridge"! It is a case of The sponsor paying the piper, and dictating the tune, too.

Ibori's case is an indictment on the ruling Party for inflicting a corrupting plague on a State that is desperately in need of genuine and holistic development. The Party has ruled for over twelve years without any tangible thing to show for the wasted years, except corruption in high and low places, deprivation, dehumanization and environmental degradation that stink to the high heavens! Imagine if the amount of money that Ibori and other corrupt political office holders looted had been invested in our education, power sector, rail, road and air transportation, what Nigeria and Nigerians could have become? 

Similarly, it is an indictment on INEC for doing a shoddy job in its preliminary investigation and subsequent clearance that "qualified" Ibori to run for the guba which has now become his albatross. It is evident that the investigation was not thorough going by Ibori's pedigree and criminal records abroad. I do suspect that there are, even now, many more characters like him, or perhaps, worse than he is, who are currently occupying political offices but who ordinarily should be hanged at marketplaces or shot at a BarBeach "show-of-shame" to serve as deterrent to those warming up to follow their accursed footsteps. It is now clear why the "Immunity" clause was vehemently opposed by the Upper and Lower Houses.

The lessons to learn: During the first republic, the Parliamentarian system which the country ran then, had allowed civil and public servants to play active role in politics. I could recollect faintly though that a school principal Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, was the leader of the majority party in the House. Such posts used to be on part time basis in those days, which predictably, had allowed such office holders to keep their regular jobs. What stops Nigeria from considering the option, now?

Ibori's case is a challenge to INEC for thoroughness in its conducts as the umpire, among other things, if the nation must be liberated from a horde of fleece sucking us silly, leading the country to nowhere in particular!

 

Ademola Omobewaji DASYLVA

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 2, 2012, at 1:17 AM, Amiel Fagbulu <amiel.fagbulu@ymail.com> wrote:

Dear All,

The posting by Sunny Igboanugo attempting to interpret what Ibori did or did not do seems startling to me. I have tried to listen to, and learn from him as he advised Lawson to, but I find it difficult to see anything to learn from all that he had to say. 

Ibori's wife has been convicted for laundering money for Ibori - yes

Ibori's sister has been convicted for laundering money for Ibori - yes

Ibori's girl-friend has been convicted for laundering money for Ibori  - yes

Ibori's solicitor or whatever has been convicted for assisting Ibori in laundering money - yes.

The money being laundered was Ibori's according to these people who were close to him and who should know who had the money being moved around.

Is this therefore not a case of BABA JO'NA O'N BERE IRUGBON? If Baba was roasted in the fire, should anyone be asking where Baba's beard is? To blame his guaranteed passage to prison on an all-green or all-yellow jury is to say the least uncharitable and self-serving. Ibori was roasted long ago when those who served him got their fingers burnt and admitted or were found guilty of laundering money for him.  Ibori is not guilty by association. The gullible or greedy women in his life and his lawyer are those who are.

It is a matter of record that Ibori was an ordinary Nigerian working on a modest pay in the UK at a DIY outfit when he was convicted for stealing. Please sir, Ibori has stamped himself a thief before coming back to Nigeria. There is no record of his holding any high-paying job since his return other than being a governor. Could someone please tell us where the large sums of money being laundered came from? Unless the large sums can be accounted for, commonsense suggests - merely suggests - that a thief who once stole from his employers in England may be - again, may be - at work again stealing from his office as governor of Delta State.

His wife admitted in court that she had been convicted in an English court with Ibori  for stealing prior to returning to Nigeria to become first lady and governor respectively.

She had no option because records exist and judges could not be bribed easily as is the case in Nigeria. Can Ibori be given the benefit of doubt that he was not the person convicted in Nigeria especially with all the drama and loss of documents that were involved?

When was Ibori born? He lied about his age too. Did the white people make him do all these things?

It is very sad that anyone can gloat that Ibori's legal triumphs in Nigeria prove his innocence. It is like adding insult to everything else to dismiss with a wave of the hand a serious issue like this by saying that what he pleaded guilty to was 'some properties traced to him in London'. How much are those properties worth? Are those not the pointers to where the alleged  stolen money ended? If he is innocent, one would expect him to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the source was clean and was not laundered. He did not have to plea-bargain for such an easy thing to prove.

I got the money from A in country X, town Y on date T through Bank C. It could have been a loan, gift, or stolen money but then the onus would have been on A to prove. Why can't we check things we say and stop accusing others of not listening or learning?

Playing the racist card in 2012 does not get the sympathy of serious people. We as Nigerians should bow our heads in shame that one of us has proved to the world once again that we are the inventors and  masters of the  419 game. Let us be honest with one another and work towards a solution that will greatly reduce the possibility of a thief and a fraudster gaining admission into our highest offices again. We do not need to tear one another apart neither do we need to weep for Ibori.

It is the truth that can set us free.

Amiel Fagbulu

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From: sunny igboanugo <odengusng@yahoo.com>
To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2012 9:23 PM
Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption '

 

Lawson That is why you should listen and learn. There are two components to the Ibori case in London. One component deals with the issue of massive corruption, stealing of money belonging to Delta State Government when he was in power, which is the main issue in the 170-count charge against him in Nigeria, which was eventually dismissed and appealed against by the EFCC. The other deals with some properties traced to him in London. Just like in Nigeria, the first leg of the case was seen as a dead end by the London court for lack of evidence, the same conclusion in Nigeria. The second case, Ibori did not contest because no concrete proof will be required beyond what the jury, made up of all-white people will think. Being a wise man, he took the advice of cutting his losses - saving the money he would have paid lawyers in a case he is sure will not go his way in the end, settle down to serve a prison sentence and save himself further hassles. That is the profile of the case. But what has happened is that because the men of the Metropolitan Police in London and the prosecutor already have an audience in large group of Nigerians who are eagerly awaiting the worst to happen to Ibori, the man they have chosen for whatever reasons to make the face of corruption in Nigeria, in spite of the numerous greater thieves that abound, they were all too eager to upload the contents of the corruption, charges have gone caput; Dead on Arrival (DOA), to this gullible audience as what Ibori has admitted to. No. Fafafaa  Foul. They don't want to admit their failure; that they have also failed the same way the EFCC also failed. So, understand it, if you still have a space in your brain or heart that by the time Ibori is being sentenced, no reference will be made on the case of stealing Delta State money, but on the fact that Ibori cannot explain the source of some properties traced to him. Don't let anybody deceive you otherwise. --- On Thu, 1/3/12, joe_esenwa@yahoo.com <joe_esenwa@yahoo.com> wrote: From: joe_esenwa@yahoo.com <joe_esenwa@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption ' To: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, 1 March, 2012, 2:38   R Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile. From: Christopher Lawson <captlawson@hotmail.com> Sender: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 08:21:01 +0000 To: <nigerianworldforum@yahoogroups.com> ReplyTo: NIgerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption '   This is a starting attempt to misinform the Nigerian public and borders on a criminal act. Im sure both the met and the judiciary will be interested in this because it makes allegations of police and judical conivance to cover up a crime! If Prisoner Ibori was soo sure of his position why deal and accept a JAIL sentence for offences he claims not to have commited? Innocent men don't go to jail without a good fight so why give up the opportunity to have your day in court?   To: Naijapolitics@yahoogroups.com; Talknigeria@yahoogroups.com; NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com; nigeria360@yahoogroups.com From: reukal@yahoo.co.uk Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 08:08:25 +0000 Subject: [NIgerianWorldForum] Fw: [Nigeria360::Live] Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption '     Ibori: 'I Did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption ' Written by elombah.com    Wednesday, 29 February 2012 16:39 Chief James Ibori has insisted that contrary to news reports of the past few days, he did Not Plead Guilty To Corruption. This comes as members of Ibori's legal team also insists that the prosecution struck a deal with the defence team after several private meetings with the Judge and the Crown Prosecution Service, CPS. Ibori's Lawyers insist that "the  intention behind this deal was to cover up the invoices that show Police corruption, in which Tom Harper of the Evening Standard reported about last October."   Speaking on Ibori's behalf, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, Ibori's Media Assistant told elombah.com that  "news reports of the last court session have been twisted to insane levels by media manipulation and direct disinformation and misinformation".    But legal observers dismissed such postures as mere spin.    The former governor of Delta State, on Monday pleaded guilty in a London court to 10 counts of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud.  He is due to be sentenced on 16 April.    Eluemunor said "What was not clear to Nigerians was that the Prosecution lawyers were labouring at damage control as the publication in several Nigerian newspapers of last Sunday had leaked out the secret that the seven-year investigation against Ibori had not only cost the British taxpayer £14 million but was funded by the DfID – the Department of Foreign Development. The Proesecution then laboured hard to justify the money spent and stave off another official inquiry into the much investigated London Metropolitan Police, that have been accused often of grave misdeeds".    Ibori's decision to make a guilty plea to 10 counts on the first indictment and 3 on the V-Mobile case came as a shock to many Nigerians, even though elombah.com got wind of the development two days in advance.   In what many observers will take with a pinch of salt,  a member of Ibori's Legal team yesterday told elombah.com, the ex-governor took such a step after several private meetings with the Judge and CPS, and "it appeared the prosecution struck a deal with the defence team".   He alleged that "the intention behind this deal was to cover up the invoices in which Tom Harper of the Evening Standard reported about last October."   After a series of first-hand inquiries, the legal source source revealed "it was a desperate bid to save the officers from being suspended and Ibori blowing up the matter of police corruption in open court".   After discussions with a solicitor who is associated with the Ibori defence team, they are saying that "it was a sensible result for the prosecution as the whole case could have potentially collapsed if Ibori followed through with exposing police malpractice".   "You will recall, I told you a while ago about the corruption that took place during the Ibori investigation, which was surrounding a Private Detective agency called RISC Management Limited", he said.  He claimed further the invoices evidenced that police officers (those in Ibori's case) took payments for information via a notoriously corrupt private detective agency – RISC Management Limited. "The plea deal includes covering up the misconduct of police officers." "I am in contact with the source that managed to get hold of the invoices", the Lawyer said.   But so far, the Lawyer has failed or neglected to provide Elombah investigators with the alleged invoices even after we have requested to see them, despite assurances that elombah should not "hesitate to contact me if you are interested in this matter and would like to investigate further".    A Nigerian Lawyer based in London told elombah.com such claims are "nonsense". The Lawyer who claimed he advised the legal team last year to cut their losses and plead guilty said there is no way Ibori would not have got at least 15 years jail term if the case had gone to full trial.   "Even with this guilty plea, Ibori would still be looking at not less that 5 to 7 years in jail, minus the two years he has already spent in detention", the lawyer said. The Lawyer said indications are that Ibori would probably get 30 percent off the original jail term he might have got.    "Do not forget Ibori's Lawyer, Bahdresh Gohil had earlier got 8 years despite pleading guilty", he added.    Mr Eluemunor on his part said Chief James Onanefe Ibori has advised Nigerians not to be misled by the news reports saying Ibori pleaded guilty corruption.    The Media Assistant to Ibori said "the world was made to believe that Ibori's guilty plea was a sudden turn around and not a well-deliberated act that was part of a plea bargain deal. But it is on record that several Nigerian newspapers of last Sunday published different versions of that self same story; that Ibori would plead guilty as part of a plea bargain arrangement".   "Of course, that plea bargain deal would only kick in with Ibori's pleading guilty; which he did this week Monday", Elumunor insists.     "After that plea, which had been successfully foretold by Nigerian newspapers, both the Prosecution and the Defence Counsels were to return on 16th and 17th April to make their needed statements. Unfortunately, while Ibori's lead counsel stayed true to this time-tested legal procedure, the Prosecution Counsels went rogue and began to make wild and unfounded statements aimed at nothing but self-glorification and Ibori's demonization", Eluemunor said.   Many Nigerians though dismiss Eluemunors protestations as mere spin.  "Some people really do have Ph. D in damage control (aka, spin)", said Bonaventure Ezekwena. Speaking to elombah.com, the publisher of 'Africans In America News Watch', a New York City publication said: "To us laymen, Plea Bargain means that a defendant facing criminal charges has agreed with the prosecutor to admit guilt to some or all the charges in exchange for 'something' from the state. That 'something' could be a number of things; example: save money and time by avoiding costly and lenghty trial, save major embarrassment and greater shame by avoiding public 'reliving', dramatization of details of crimes. The 'something' may also include: prosecutor agreeing not to push for maximum jail term, leaving it to the court to decide without any push by prosecutor, etc." "The state benefits from Plea Bargain because money that would have been spent in prosecuting the case would be saved. Some people, in the name of spin could see hip of shit and call it 'hip of aroma'", Bonaventure concluded.    But Eluemunor disagrees, he said the London Metropolitan Police invited droves of media agencies and several statements to justify their jamborees in the sun, whereby agents visited the far-flung corners of the Earth with little to show for their efforts. They even visited Nigeria three times, and lowly policemen who had never shaken hands with their British superiors had dinner with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the deep recesses of Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.   "Some of the statements were contradictory; some totally wild and even insane.  The circus was so much in session that some British Police officials were promising that the money Ibori allegedly used in purchasing a Challenger Private jet built by the Bombadier company of Canada would soon be retuned to Nigerians. Yet, newspaper readers will easily remember that last Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said in various news reports that they had just questioned a businessman, through whom Ibori allegedly laundered money in the guise of buying a jet, that was never really bought. So how on Earth could the same aircraft be at the same time bought and un-bought? Even then, confiscation hearings will not begin till August, so why were they announcing figures even in February? Massive deception was at work!   "Worst of all, several foreign media quoted the London Police list of landed properties they claimed belonged to Ibori, that they promised to confiscate. But any who has followed the cases concerning Ibori's sister and Udoamaka Okoronkwo would have noticed that some of the same buildings featured prominently there. The truth is that what is at stake in London for now is just about three average buildings, finish."   Contacted on the debate about the implication of Ibori pleading guilty, a London lawyer told elombah.com Ibori people should be careful with pushing this 'plea bargain stuff, because Ibori is yet to be sentenced'.   "You know that plea bargaining is not officially recognized in the United Kingdom, whatever arrangements if any with Ibori prosecutors is at best an informal arrangement, a gentleman's agreement. My fear is that if these plea bargain gets into mainstream British press, Ibori may receive a very harsh sentence on April 1!"   But Eluemunor said "What matters to Ibori is that all corruption charges were dropped by the London Police for lack of evidence".   Continuing he said "Any claim that any corruption charge is facing him is pure propaganda. He did not plead guilty to any corruption charge. With the corruption charges removed because they could not be proved beyond any reasonable doubt, the Police stayed with money laundering charges, to be proved by nothing but inference – the convincing of a jury of white persons. No proof, no evidence would be needed then, no documentary truths would be established.     "The British and the Nigerian establishments have been driving this case to a pre-determined end, and a battle weary Ibori was advised to plead guilty, end what had promised to be a long-drawn trial, and begin to rebuild his life which had been tossed about in an ocean of legal controversy and trials because of politics - since 2003, that is nine long years ago. Also, Ibori did not want a long-drawn trial where Nigeria's name would be bandied about in a forign court," Tony Elumunor concluded.   James Ibori, a former governor of one of Nigeria's oil-producing states, 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". Mr Ibori, once seen as one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most influential politicians, was arrested in 2010 in Dubai and then extradited to London. 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. 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", said Paul Whatmore of the Metropolitan Police.   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. Mr Ibori's wife, Theresa, his sister, Christine, his mistress, Udoamaaka Okoronkwo, and his London solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, have all been convicted of money-laundering. 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 Mr Ibori stole should have been used to pay for sanitation, power supplies and healthcare for some of the poorest people in the world. 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 later dropped but he was then re-arrested in Dubai on a British warrant.  www.elombah.com http://elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10072:ibori-i-did-not-plead-guilty-to-corruption-&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=67

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