$15m Ibori bribe: Court decides ownership Sept. 20

A Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday slated September 20, 2013 to decide the ownership of the $15 million (about N4.6 billion) allegedly offered as bribe to former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu by the former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori to stop the commission from investigating him over his alleged involvement in the looting of the state’s fund while he was governor of the state.

The trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole fixed the date to decide the fate of the Delta state government, which filed a suit seeking the ownership of the alleged bribe money abandoned since 2007, after the
adoption of written addresses by parties in the matter. While adopting his addresses, counsel to the Delta state government, Chief Charles Ajuyah (SAN) argued that the money be returned to the state on the strength of an affidavit, deposed to by EFCC top officials that Ibori offered the money as bribe to the anti-graft agency while he was the state governor.

Ajuyah, who is the Delta state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, informed the court that the affidavit evidence by Mr. Ibrahim Lamode, now EFCC chairman had proved beyond doubt that the money belong to Delta state government, having been offered while Ibori was in office. The counsel also drew the attention of the court to a statement by Dr. Andy Uba, now a Senator that Ibori used his residence in Asokoro to channel the money to EFCC which was later kept in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Ajuyah contended that so far, no individual, group or organisation had laid claim to the ownership of the money outside Delta state government, as all documents in possession of EFCC and the court indicated that the money came through Ibori.

He said Delta state government could not lay claim to the money since 2007 because of the so many cases against the former governor and the fear that money might be used as evidence in court. “Delta State came out at the appropriate time to claim the money because the cases against Ibori had been effectively completed and the fact that the federal government and EFCC had in July last year asked through newspaper publication that anybody interested in the ownership of the money should come forward”, he said and argued that senior citizens of the state, led by chief Edwin Clark had earlier asked that the money be returned to the treasury of Delta State.

 

 

culled from

Peoples Daily

http://peoplesdailyng.com/15m-ibori-bribe-court-decides-ownership-sept-20/