The much awaited "judgment" In the James Ibori case slated for Monday, November 23 by the judge of the Federal High Court in Asaba will not happen after all. Saharareporters learnt that with only hours to go, Justice Mercel Awokulehin's court registrar sent a text message to the lawyers in the case adjourning ruling by another week, until December 4.
The message did not state any reasons for the adjournment, but sources said the judge, who remains under intense public scrutiny, may have used the "Federal Judges Conference" taking place in Kwara State tomorrow as an excuse to bail himself out of the pressure from the Nigerian public, as well as Ibori. Justice Awokulehin is expected to retire from the judiciary in December 2009
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Two weeks ago, Justice Awokulehin disappointed Ibori and his teeming supporters who had thronged Asaba to celebrate what his associates and fixers had promised would be the end of the 170-count charge proffered against him by the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC). However, the judge, who had received queries at least two petitions against his conduct at the National Judicial Council (NJC) refused to deliver the judgment he had bragged was ready two weeks before the sitting. He later gave extant reasons for deferring the ruling until tomorrow, the date that has now again been pushed forward.
Saharareporters had exposed a new deal between the judge and Ibori to give the former Delta State governor a favorable ruling. The deal, which our sources said has the blessing of Awokulehin's superiors last week in Abuja, would have seen the quashing of the charges tomorrow. Following assurances by the judge, Ibori contacted authorities of the University of Benin to re-instate a previously canceled appearance at the university. It had been calculated that if Ibori was acquitted in the morning in Asaba, he would fly by a helicopter provided by the Delta State government to the Edo State capital give a triumphal lecture on the "Founder's Day" of the University of Benin at 3: 00 PM. Invitation cards to the event were distributed as late as Thursday night last week to prevent the kind of protests from members of the university community that had forced the previous cancellation by Vice Chancellor Kubeyinje.
It is unclear if Awokulehin's historic Sunday text message will entail a domino postponement of the case in London before Judge Christopher Hardy at the Southwark Crown Court. That case, which involves the trial of three women associated with Ibori--his wife, his mistress and his secretary--has twice previously been adjourned. But Crown Prosecution Service sources have indicated their determination to press for the case to go ahead to full trial.
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In a related development, witnesses expected from Nigeria to give testimony in the case are said to have now gone into hiding following receipt of death threats. Sources told Saharareporters that save for the few EFCC operatives involved, none of the witnesses have left Nigeria for the UK, contrary to press reports in Nigeria. Last week, impeccable sources told Saharareporters that Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa had leaked the names and addresses of the witnesses to some media houses. Following the publication of the information, many of the witnesses fled into hiding to avoid getting killed. Our source said it was Aondoakaa's way of stopping the witnesses from going to London to testify against his associates.
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