Efforts of the Delta State Government to claim the $15 million allegedly offered as bribe by former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed on Friday, as a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered that the money should be ceded to the Federal Government.
Delivering judgement in the matter, Justice Gabriel Kolawole held that Ibori’s earlier denial of ownership of the money coupled with the failure of Delta State to prove that the fund was removed from its treasury meant the money was “unclaimed property”.
Justice Kolawole further held that in view of the circumstances surrounding the case and the reluctance of several people to openly claim the money, it qualified to be forfeited to the Federal Government “as fund derived from unlawful act,” in line with the Money Laundering and EFCC Acts 2004.
Wondering why no one claimed the money between 25th April 2007 and 26th April 2007 when Ibori allegedly offered the money to EFCC officials and 27th July 2012 when the Federal Government advertised in in the newspapers, he questioned the Delta State government for waiting until the advertorial before remembering that it owns the money.
