Former Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori today entered a guilty plea before a Southwark Crown Court in London for fraud and money laundering charges.
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Former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, yesterday in a United Kingdom court, pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud. Chief Ibori who was arraigned before the court was accused by the British police of stealing $250m (£160m) over eight years. About $35m of his alleged UK assets were frozen in 2007.
He was arrested in 2010 in Dubai and then extradited to London for trial but as his trial at London's Southwark Crown Court was about to begin, Chief Ibori changed his plea to guilty and admitted stealing money from Delta state and laundering it in London through a number of offshore companies.
Following Mr Ibori's plea, the Metropolitan Police spokesman, Paul Whatmore told the court that: "We will now be actively seeking the confiscation of all of his stolen assets so they can be repatriated for the benefit of the people of Delta state". Chief Ibori will be sentenced on April 16 this year.