Barring last minutes hitches, hearing will today begin at Southwark Crown Court, London in the suit filed for the confiscation of assets worth about £50 million owned by the jailed former Delta State Governor, James Ibori.
Although Ibori is not required to be at Friday’s hearing, however, he will be made to appear in the same court on September 16, 2013 when the full hearing of the case begins. Also, the ex-governor’s appeal of his jail sentence will soon be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice at the Strand.
“His case is due for mention in courtroom 3, tomorrow (today) afternoon and as far as I know, the hearing is fixed for September 16,” a Southwark source said.
Asked if Ibori will be present for today’s hearing, the source said, “no that he’s not required. Tomorrow Friday – is just for the parties (lawyers representing him and the Crown Prosecution Service), but he will be present when the hearing takes off in September.”
Earlier Thursday, investigation at the Royal Courts of Justice revealed that Ibori’s appeal date is in sight. “It’s been sent for listing,” one court official said, when asked if a date has been fixed to hear the appeal of his 13-year jail sentence.
But another court official gave further details, revealing why the appeal has taken more than six months to get listed for hearing. Prior to giving reasons for the delay, he also confirmed that Ibori’s case is very close to being brought before Appeal Court judges, where he is hoping his over four-year jail term would be slashed.
“We’ve sent for a record sheet of the indictment from the Crown Court –in Southwark, where he was jailed last April – so we’re just waiting for that,” the official added.
On why Ibori’s case has taken that long to come up since he appealed his sentence in September, the source explained that court staff work on cases based on the length of jail term the prisoner was serving.
Ibori was jailed in April last year at the Southwark Crown Court by Justice Anthony Pitts, and is currently serving a 13-year jail for money laundering and theft of £50 million during his two-term tenure as governor of Delta State between 1999 and 2007.
Despite getting his jail term reduced to just over four years because he pleaded guilty prior to the beginning of the trial last year, Ibori still appealed his sentence – not the verdict – in September. He then won the right to challenge the length of his sentence. If his appeal is successful when heard, Ibori may spend less than three years more in jail.
