As a former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, returns to the Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday (today) to be handed his sentence for charges bothering on money laundering and corruption, his kinsmen from Umu Anioma, Delta State, have expressed gratitude to the British judicial system and the media for not compromising their stance on the corruption case.
In a statement made available to the media, the people of Umu Anioma, under the aegis of Umu Anioma Foundation, said that despite the shortcomings of the British judicial system, it has helped in proving that the end is almost near for corrupt public officials in Nigeria.
The statement was signed by Joe Illoh, Isaac Chukwunalu Eke, Charles Chukwunwike Anyasi, Mabel Magbulu-Awuse and Emmanuel O. Ohai.
The statement is coming just ahead of the resumption of the sentencing of Ibori in London.
The process, which commenced on Monday with arguments from lawyers of both the accused and the prosecution on whether to mitigate the sentence since Ibori had pleaded guilty, will be completed today with the judgement.
The statement from Umu Anioma Foundation reads in full: “When Mr. James Ononafe Ibori, ex-governor of Delta State, in Nigeria, was arraigned before the Southwark Crown Court judge, several months ago, Umu Anioma Foundation took the back stage as mere observers. This was particularly in view of our high regard for the British judiciary, notwithstanding some shortcomings here and there. However, we decided to step out, following the presence at the court vicinity of a pro-Ibori protest group on June 24, 2011 during one of the hearings. We were prompted to come out and counter that obnoxious rally, also in front of the Court at the July 22 2011 hearing with our own “Justice for Deltans” rally.
“By staging that rally, we wanted to show that our only interest as Deltans is to see that justice is served and to demonstrate to the world the importance of this case to Nigerians as a whole, and particularly for Deltans who crave for justice as a result of Ibori’s faceless plundering of state resources. We decided to step out with the hope that commensurate redress in this case might help to deter many other Nigerian politicians who delight in soiling their fingers in governance.
“It is important to state clearly that Mr. Ibori’s case is no longer based on allegations, thanks to the British court, before which he has admitted to counts of embezzlement, conspiracy to make false instruments, theft and money laundering, all at the expense of the long-suffering people of Anioma, Delta state and Nigeria as a whole.
“For over fifty years now, our people have suffered much setback in the overall development of human and social infrastructure. Let it be reiterated here that, as James Ibori and his cohorts stockpile their loots in foreign accounts, Nigerian youths are wasting away on the streets, while some are even dying in the deserts and mountains as they struggle to migrate to other lands in search of greener pastures. Worse still, part of this loot is being expended in hiring sycophants who shamelessly parade themselves in front of the court, demanding his freedom.
“Umu Anioma Foundation expects the judges to make a definite statement with this judgment in the face of the empirical evidences at their disposal. This case must serve to reassure the people of Anioma, Delta and the entire Nigerians that corrupt Nigerian politicians can no longer find a safe haven, particularly in Britain, after betraying the masses.
“It should also teach the wicked political class that they can, after all, taste of their wicked venom in their life time, as against the Shakespearean saying that “the evils that men do live after them” It will help to ease, if momentarily, the frustrations of poor Nigerians who have continued to be raped and milked by politicians since independence.
“It is about time our leaders are made to realize that they are playing with a time bomb. The days are coming when Nigerians and Africans will no longer be intimidated by the oppressors’ military tanks. The days are coming when the Nigerian politicians and their accomplices will understand that when the Law of Moses overcomes the ceremonial law, impossibility becomes possible.
“Umu Anioma Foundation worldwide wishes to express our gratitude, through this medium, to the British judiciary, the Press and the media for the democratic dispensation of their civic duties by not allowing themselves to be enticed or intimidated with Mr. Ibori’s ill acquired wealth.
“Clearly, Mr. Ibori’s guilty plea is an indictment of the Nigerian Judiciary as they failed to obtain a conviction of Mr. Ibori in the Justice Awokulehin court, in spite of having same set of facts and evidences as those tendered in the Southwark Crown court. It is obvious that evidence of the perversion of justice by Benin court, Nigeria is the aggravating factor why the prosecuting corrupt government official in foreign courts has become attractive to many of our Delta State indigenes.
“Indeed, no event or incident in our humble estimation has had as much unifying effect on the indigenes of the 3 political entities (Delta North, Delta Central and Delta South) as this conviction of James Ibori in the British courts. In that same token, one has to look at the global picture to understand fully well that corruption by officials of developing countries is intertwined with the world economy. Therefore, the United Kingdom’s prosecution of James Ibori must serve as a notice to other Western Countries such as the United States that we are all in this together. The doctrine of global justice must be further deepened with a view to bringing more culprits to Justice in any venue justice can be obtained.
“Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide is a non-religious, non-for-profit socio-cultural organization. We are not affiliated with any political party. Our mission statement is to organize, educate, activate and advocate for the social, cultural, political and economic emancipation of the people of Anioma, Delta state and the Nigerian civil society at large. Anioma is a virgin geopolitical enclave designated as the Delta North Senatorial district of Delta State and lies within the South-south zone of Nigeria.
“Ours is an organization that fervently defends citizenship rights as enshrined in the laws of the land. We detest bribery, abuse of power and other forms of vices. Hence Umu Anioma Foundation Worldwide has followed, with keen interest, the Ibori case, and is expectant of unalloyed justice on behalf of Deltans.”