Ibori hopeful of being released after British prosecutors pay his lawyer £20,000 damages

FORMER Delta State governor Chief James Ibori enjoyed a big boost in his attempt to get his 13 prison sentence for fraud overturned after his lawyer and friend Bhadresh Gohil was paid £20,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

 

In April 2012, Chief Ibori was sentenced to 13 years on jail by London's Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges. He has been in prison ever since although several cases relating to the seizure of his illegally-acquired assets ahead of the confiscation hearing are ongoing.

 

Earlier this year, however, the court upheld a request from Chief Ibori's legal team alleging that officers investigating him fraudulently obtained materials and documents against the former governor and Mr Gohil. After the case was heard, Mr Ghoil received an extraordinary payment of £20,000 and police investigators and British crown prosecutors are now facing allegations of police corruption and a cover-up of key evidence.

 

For months now there have been allegations of injustice and court manipulation by prosecutors by Chief Ibori’s lawyers. Now, all the investigators and the prosecutors in the Chief Ibori case as well as all of its associated cases, especially the lead prosecutor, Sasha Wass, have been dropped.

 

Also, the case was removed from the Metropolitan Police and handed to the National Crime Agency and the original investigating officers have all been removed from the case. Last week, the police paid Mr Gohil for an infringement committed last November and was expected to be released then but less than a week before the release date, prosecution barrister, Sasha Wass, successfully applied for this to be revoked and Mr Gohil was detained for three more weeks.