Monday, February 27, 2012

Delta state Governor, Ibori, pleads guilty to money laundering charges

Former governor of Delta
State, Chief James Ibori, on
Monday pleaded guilty to fraud
and money laundering charges
at a Southwark Crown Court in
London.
An online medium,
saharareporters, says Ibori
pleaded guilty to 10 counts of
fraud, money laundering and
corruption before Judge
Anthony Pitts.
Ibori’s guilty plea has closed a
chapter to a long judicial and
political saga pertaining to his
massive money laundering
activities in his eight years as
governor of one of Nigeria’s
major oil-producing states.
The former governor faces up to
10 years in a UK prison during
sentencing, which will take
place after the completion of the
trial of his accomplice and
financial advisor, Ghanaian-born
Elias Preko.
Today, the judge ordered that
the remaining charges would
remain on file.
In a short submission, Crown
Prosecution Service lawyer,
Sasha Wass, QC, said the
prosecution does not seek to go
ahead with Ibori’s trial anymore,
saying, ” Mr. Ibori has accepted
the entirety of the prosecution’s
case as it has always been set
out.”
More details later.

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