Chief James Ibori,Kema Chikwe

The hearing of the bail application of former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, on Friday was stalled when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it needed time to respond to issues raised in the accused person’s fresh affidavit.
Also, the former governor did not exhibit signs of ill-health on Friday when he appeared before Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kaduna. Rather, he looked hale and hearty. He was flown to the National Hospital, Abuja from Kaduna on Wednesday and discharged on Thursday.
THE London Metropolitan Police say the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, used British banks to stash £20 million public funds to finance his flamboyant lifestyle, The Sunday Times of London reported yesterday.
However, efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute Chief Ibori for alleged corruption may have run into a fresh hitch after Britain returned investigation documents to the anti-graft agency asking for the authorisation of the Attorney-General of the Federation to use them in the London court process.
EFCC recovers N15m from Kema Chikwe
The same EFCC has recovered N15 million from one-time Aviation Minister, Dr. Kema Chikwe, being her alleged share of business deal with one Samuel Iheanacho, Managing Director of an engineering company.
Chief Ibori is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police for allegedly laundering the money during 2005-06, using a web of high-street banks in London and an international array of front companies.
The London Sunday Times citing a witness statement made by a financial investigator working for the Met, said Ibori used accounts at branches of HSBC, Barclays and Abbey to buy luxury cars and homes.
These include a £4 million mansion in Hampstead, North London, a nearby flat for a mistress and a country retreat in Dorset. Ibori owned a Bentley Continental GT, a Jaguar and an armoured Mercedes-Benz Maybach

It said since 2005, funds from Nigeria, intended for education and engineering projects, “(were) allegedly stolen by James Ibori (and) have been laundered through the UK banking system.”
One payment of £275,873 was made to a Mayfair car dealership for an armour-plated Maybach limousine in 2005.
Ibori, who denies the accusations, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. His lawyers declined to comment.
The investigation is looking at payments by Shell and Chevron-Texaco to his businesses in Delta State. Over three years, Shell, Chevron and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company allegedly paid £3.6 million into a Barclays account controlled by Ibori for renting out houseboats to foreign employees.
Last Thursday, the Court of Appeal confirmed a freeze on Ibori’s UK assets, worth £17.1 million.
According to an affidavit, the Met intervened at an unspecified date to block his purchase of a private jet from Bombardier, the manufacturers, for $20 million (£9.8 million) while he was still in office and receiving an official salary of just £12,000 a year.
An associate who met Ibori in New York in September told The Sunday Times that he was “desperate to prove that his hands are clean.”
The Met has recently launched a crackdown on foreigners using Britain as a haven for corruptly acquired assets. Ibori is the third Nigerian governor to be investigated under the Proceeds of Crime Act introduced in 2002.
The two others charged with money laundering in London jumped bail. One has since been convicted of corruption by a Nigerian court, while the other is on trial.
HSBC, Abbey and Barclays declined to comment but said they would cooperate fully with any police investigation.
AGF-EFCC feud creates fresh hitches in Ibori’s case
Efforts by the EFCC to prosecute Chief Ibori for alleged corruption while in office has run into a fresh hitch as Britain returned investigation documents to the anti-graft agency asking for the Attorney-General of the Federation’s authorisation to use them in the London court process.
The British authorities had earlier asked the EFCC to furnish it with details of its findings on the allegation of corruption against Chief Ibori while in office which it did without recourse to the AGF, Chief Michael Aondoakaa.
It was gathered that the documents were returned because they were not signed by the AGF and, therefore, could not be used.
“The honourable Attorney-General may, therefore, authorise the Metropolitan Police through the appropriate channels to use the materials enumerated above for their legal processes,” he said in the letter dated September 28, 2007.
It was, however, learnt that the AGF who had requested the same documents without being given by the EFCC, rejected it, as he was said to have noted that the request by the Metropolitan Police should have been sent to him, in the first instance.
Sources said the AGF reported the development to the President who gave him a backing.
Also listed were accounts of various companies said to have been traced to Chief Ibori or his relations.
The included Bainexnox Ltd account with UBA, MER Engineering Ltd account with UBA, Global Little Drops Nig. Ltd account with Zenith and Oceanic Banks, Silhouette Travels and Tours account with Zenith and Prime Chambers account with Zenith.
Also contained in the document is the copy of a letter from the Corporate Affairs Commission confirming that about three companies used in siphoning fund from Delta State were registered with it.