May 18, 2010
With former Governor James Ibori facing extradition from Dubai to the UK, his associates in London who are awaiting a jury’s verdict have begun to make desperate plans to influence the jurors. Our correspondent who was present in the Southwark Crown court reported that a tall man was seen briefing Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibie Ibori, and her two co-defendants on plans to apply political pressure on the UK government by portraying their trial as a case of political persecution against Mr. Ibori.
Our reporter stated that the man “spoke like a scam artist, but Ibori’s sister and the other accused women listened to him attentively and even exchanged ideas with him.”
Christine Ibie Ibori as well as Ibori’s former mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, and personal aide, Adebimpe Pogoson, are accused of assisting the former governor in laundering billions of naira of funds stolen from Delta State during Ibori’s eight-year tenure as governor. A lawyer who has observed the case told Saharareporters that the jurors are likely to announce their verdict in the next day or two.
With the prospect of a judgment nearing, a source close to Ibori’s inner circle told us that the defendants are eyeing a political strategy to get themselves out of their messy situation.
“There are two elements to the strategy,” explained the source. “One, Ibori’s associates in Nigeria are recruiting sympathetic militants to set off acts of violence in Nigeria, some of them targeting oil installations. In addition, there’s a plan to deposit a corpse in front of the offices of some oil companies and, if possible, the British embassy in Nigeria. Then, Chief Ibori’s loyalists are also going to bombard newspapers with statements asserting that his ordeal and the trial of his people in London are driven by a political agenda.”
The events at the Southwark Crown court yesterday appeared to confirm the new strategy. A six-foot, k-legged man was seen conferring with the accused women during the court’s recess hours. Our reporter overheard him telling Ibori’s associates and a small circle of sympathizers that he saw no reason why Ibori's case should be brought to the UK. The man told the group that his nameless group “will soon let the world know that Chief Ibori did not commit any crime.” In a furious voice, the man added that Ibori’s achievements in the Delta State “are there for all to see,” adding that the former governor constructed lots of roads and made other achievements he did not name.
The man huddled with Christine Ibie Ibori and her co-defendants in the hallway leading to court 8 and discussed the latest strategy. “They turned the hallway into a strategy meeting place,” reported our correspondent.
The reporter stated that the three accused women and their tall male visitor could be overheard grumbling that the extradition case against Ibori in Dubai and their own trial in the UK was a political witchhunt organized by “President” Goodluck Jonathan.
The tall would-be strategist told the women that his group was mobilizing Ibori sympathizers in the UK and Nigeria to begin protest marches for Ibori. He told the associates that his group was gathering full details of James Ibori's achievements as governor.
The hefty man also bragged that his group would ensure that Ibori's associates are not jailed and that Ibori is not extradited to the UK. “We will ensure that the British public and the whole world begin to read about the plight of James Ibori on the pages of newspapers to understand the political scheming behind his condition,” our reporter heard the man say.
He promised Ibori’s sister that his group had recruited Nigerian several Nigerian bloggers “to fight that Saharareporters that is rubbishing Chief.” In the past, Ibori had sponsored a website that declared him the “Odidigboigbo of Africa” and listed his so-called achievements.
Ibori financed the website as part of an elaborate plan to lay the foundation for his sham acquittal by Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court Asaba. Ibori also made media rounds that sometimes cost him as much as N5 million per visit, according to a source close to him. He also organized to deliver “lectures” at the NIIA and the University of Benin, but none of those moves impressed the UK authorities who eventually traced him to Dubai where he was nabbed last week.
The man expressed surprise that Nigerians in the UK did not come out in large number to condemn the rubbishing of Ibori’s legacy. At this point, one of the sympathizers in the circle interjected in pidgin: “No mind dem. All they want is for oga [Ibori] to go jail here [the UK].”
Another member of the circle then stated that Ibori was not the only person who stole public funds in Nigeria, asking why other past governors were not being chased around and witch-hunted like Ibori.
Our reporter at the Southwark Court reported that Christine Ibie Ibori told their “strategy” man that she and her co-defendants hope that their case would drag till next week, and then pleaded with the man to start the pro-Ibori protests “as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the UK jury is expected to resume deliberations on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to continue its consideration of a verdict in the trial of Ibori's associates.
Our reporter stated that the man “spoke like a scam artist, but Ibori’s sister and the other accused women listened to him attentively and even exchanged ideas with him.”
Christine Ibie Ibori as well as Ibori’s former mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, and personal aide, Adebimpe Pogoson, are accused of assisting the former governor in laundering billions of naira of funds stolen from Delta State during Ibori’s eight-year tenure as governor. A lawyer who has observed the case told Saharareporters that the jurors are likely to announce their verdict in the next day or two.
With the prospect of a judgment nearing, a source close to Ibori’s inner circle told us that the defendants are eyeing a political strategy to get themselves out of their messy situation.
“There are two elements to the strategy,” explained the source. “One, Ibori’s associates in Nigeria are recruiting sympathetic militants to set off acts of violence in Nigeria, some of them targeting oil installations. In addition, there’s a plan to deposit a corpse in front of the offices of some oil companies and, if possible, the British embassy in Nigeria. Then, Chief Ibori’s loyalists are also going to bombard newspapers with statements asserting that his ordeal and the trial of his people in London are driven by a political agenda.”
The events at the Southwark Crown court yesterday appeared to confirm the new strategy. A six-foot, k-legged man was seen conferring with the accused women during the court’s recess hours. Our reporter overheard him telling Ibori’s associates and a small circle of sympathizers that he saw no reason why Ibori's case should be brought to the UK. The man told the group that his nameless group “will soon let the world know that Chief Ibori did not commit any crime.” In a furious voice, the man added that Ibori’s achievements in the Delta State “are there for all to see,” adding that the former governor constructed lots of roads and made other achievements he did not name.
The man huddled with Christine Ibie Ibori and her co-defendants in the hallway leading to court 8 and discussed the latest strategy. “They turned the hallway into a strategy meeting place,” reported our correspondent.
The reporter stated that the three accused women and their tall male visitor could be overheard grumbling that the extradition case against Ibori in Dubai and their own trial in the UK was a political witchhunt organized by “President” Goodluck Jonathan.
The tall would-be strategist told the women that his group was mobilizing Ibori sympathizers in the UK and Nigeria to begin protest marches for Ibori. He told the associates that his group was gathering full details of James Ibori's achievements as governor.
The hefty man also bragged that his group would ensure that Ibori's associates are not jailed and that Ibori is not extradited to the UK. “We will ensure that the British public and the whole world begin to read about the plight of James Ibori on the pages of newspapers to understand the political scheming behind his condition,” our reporter heard the man say.
He promised Ibori’s sister that his group had recruited Nigerian several Nigerian bloggers “to fight that Saharareporters that is rubbishing Chief.” In the past, Ibori had sponsored a website that declared him the “Odidigboigbo of Africa” and listed his so-called achievements.
Ibori financed the website as part of an elaborate plan to lay the foundation for his sham acquittal by Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court Asaba. Ibori also made media rounds that sometimes cost him as much as N5 million per visit, according to a source close to him. He also organized to deliver “lectures” at the NIIA and the University of Benin, but none of those moves impressed the UK authorities who eventually traced him to Dubai where he was nabbed last week.
The man expressed surprise that Nigerians in the UK did not come out in large number to condemn the rubbishing of Ibori’s legacy. At this point, one of the sympathizers in the circle interjected in pidgin: “No mind dem. All they want is for oga [Ibori] to go jail here [the UK].”
Another member of the circle then stated that Ibori was not the only person who stole public funds in Nigeria, asking why other past governors were not being chased around and witch-hunted like Ibori.
Our reporter at the Southwark Court reported that Christine Ibie Ibori told their “strategy” man that she and her co-defendants hope that their case would drag till next week, and then pleaded with the man to start the pro-Ibori protests “as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the UK jury is expected to resume deliberations on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. to continue its consideration of a verdict in the trial of Ibori's associates.
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