Saturday, January 12, 2013

Why Ibori’s $15m bribe shouldn’t be returned to Delta –EFCC

THE  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja why the $15 million ex- governor, James Ibori, bribe money should not be returned to the Delta State government.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole had, on July 24, 2012, graned an interim order of forfeiture of an unclaimed $15m Ibori bribe to the Federal Government following an application by the EFCC.
In granting the order, the judge upheld the Federal Government’s claim that the money “if left untouched and unspent in the state it was kept in the strong room (of the CBN) since April 2007, may eventually be destroyed, defaced, mutilated and become useless.”
But the Delta State government had approached the court, saying that the money belonged to the state government and should therefore be returned to the state.
In a 29-paragraph counter affidavit in opposition to the claimants’ affidavit, the EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said that the said sum was given as bribe by an undisclosed agent of James Ibori, but neither the said James Ibori nor any other person ever admitted giving the said amount to the EFCC or to any person whatsoever.
He added that the Delta State government did not petition the EFCC either before or after the filing of the charge against the said James Ibori complaining that the sum of $15 million or any other sum was missing in the account of the state or that any fund belonging to Delta State was stolen by James Ibori or any of his associates.
The EFCC further said, “the said sum of $15 million cannot be traced to any account owned or being operated by the Delta State government or any of its agencies and officials.”
Further proceedings have been adjourned till January 28.
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