In a significant development, a United Kingdom court has ordered the seizure of more than £100 million ($129 million) from James Ibori, former governor of Delta state.
The British authorities had indicted Ibori on charges of stealing public funds and engaging in money laundering activities through UK banks and properties.
The trial for the confiscation proceedings against Ibori commenced in February 2017.
Reacting to the court’s ruling, Ibori expressed disbelief and questioned his faith in the British judicial system.
He revealed that he had always hoped for justice and fairness to prevail in the British Court, despite facing multiple allegations and persecutions over the years.
Citing a famous quote by Albert Einstein, Ibori remarked, “The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
He acknowledged feeling disillusioned as he continued to believe in the system even after facing illogical rulings and instances of police corruption in his case.
Ibori recounted an episode from his 2013 Confiscation hearing, where the Judge was unable to issue an order against him due to a clear victory, only to later rule that the prosecution should restart the trial years later.
The case of James Ibori has drawn attention to issues of financial misconduct and money laundering within the UK’s banking and property sectors.
