Judge David Tomlinson of Southwark Crown Court in London issued the confiscation order for former governor James Ibori of Delta State’s £101.5 million pounds ($130.34 million). The sum seized, N101,143,847,363.27, according to PM News, was about equal to one night’s worth of what the three tiers of government split on Thursday, July 20.
Ibori must make the payment right away or serve an additional eight years in prison, according to Judge Tomlinson. In response to the decision, the former governor declared that an appeal would be filed against the UK’s highest court’s seizure judgement.
Ibori wrote on Facebook on Thursday evening before the confiscation order:
“Finally, the shenanigans in the Southwark Crown Court are drawing to a close.
“Judge Tomlinson is due to make a confiscation order which should be both realisable and not punitive.
“However, after what transpired in court today my hopes are rapidly fading for any degree of fairness.
“In the 2 years it has taken to write this judgment it seems apparent that he has forgotten many of the salient points and is prioritising expediency over justice.
“The next steps will be to take my fight for justice to the highest courts in the UK.”
The hearing was heard on Thursday, July 20, and counsels to the prosecutor and defence presented their arguments that explained how the confiscation figure should be calculated as a result of the judge’s findings.
