According to media reports, the confiscation hearings in Mr. Ibori's case which was to take place in June 2016, has been adjourned. (Source: Today (Nigeria), "London court suspends James Ibori's confiscation hearing," June 10, 2016.)
On June 4, 2008, the UK High Court issued a Restraint Order against properties, accounts and other assets owned and/or controlled by Governor Ibori and legal entities Haleway Properties Limited; Telaton Quays Limited, Stanhope Investments Limited, and Erin Aviation Limited located within and outside of the United Kingdom. (Source: IN THE MATTER OF James Onanefe IBORI, Restraint Order Prohibiting Disposal of Assets, UK High Court, Queen's Bench Division, June 4, 2008.)
In February 2012, in reporting on Mr. Ibori's guilty plea in the UK, the BBC News reported, "Some $35m of his alleged UK assets were frozen in 2007." (Source: BBC News, "Nigeria ex-Delta state governor James Ibori guilty plea," February 27, 2012.)
On November 17, 2008, the High Court also issued a Restraint Order against assets related to Bhadresh Gohil, including in India, Hong Kong and the UK. (Source: IN THE MATTER OF Bhadresh Babulal Gohil, Restraint Order Prohibiting Disposal of Assets, UK High Court, Queen's Bench Division, November 17, 2008.)
According to a May 2014 statement by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, a lower court decision to strike out "all 170-count charge of money laundering preferred against former governor of Delta State, James Onanefe Ibori by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, a three-man panel of justices at the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal today, May 15, 2014 ruled that the ex- governor who is currently serving a 13-year jail term in a London prison, has a case to answer." (Source: EFCC, "Money Laundering: Ibori Has Case to Answer - Appeals Court," May 15, 2014.)
According to the United States' Ex Parte Application to Enforce and Register Foreign Restraining Orders, Mr. Gohil was convicted in the UK "in November 2010 of money laundering and prejudicing a money laundering investigation, and in December 2010, pleaded guilty to an additional eight offenses related to the V Mobile fraud. Gohil was sentenced to ten years imprisonment." (Source: UNITED STATES’ EX PARTE APPLICATION TO ENFORCE AND REGISTER FOREIGN RESTRAINING ORDERS PURSUANT TO 28 U.S.C. § 2467(d)(3) AND STATEMENT OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT THEREOF. IN RE ENFORCEMENT OF RESTRAINING ORDERS ISSUED BY THE HIGH COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES, QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION, UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE CROWN COURT OF ENGLAND WALES, UNITED KINGDOM, Case No. 12-mc-289. (D.D.C., May 16, 2012.)
In the jurisdiction of asset recovery (United States), the investigative agency and prosecuting authority/civil attorney(s) was the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section.
The court involved was the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
In the jurisdiction of asset recovery (United Kingdom), the prosecuting authority/civil attorney(s) was the Crown Prosecution Service.
The court involved was the Southwark Crown Court.
Legal basis for international cooperation was the Instrument as Contemplated by Article 3(2) of the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance Between the United States of America and the European Union Signed 25 June 2003, as to the Application of the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Signed 6 January 1994, U.S.-U.K., Dec. 16, 2004, S. Treaty Doc. 109-13 (2006); Treaty with the United Kingdom on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, U.S.-U.K., Jan. 6, 1994.
| Document Title | Size and Format | Document Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | Government report / press release | Go to site | |
| Link | Media article | Go to site | |
| Gohil UK Restraint Order November 2008 | 1.07 MB pdf | Court document | Download |
| Link | Government report / press release | Go to site | |
| US Ibori ex parte restrain order May 2012 | 119.75 KB pdf | Court document | Download |
| Ibori US Restrain 3 Million Dept Justice Press Release July 23 | 63.25 KB pdf | Government report / press release | Download |
| Ibori US Response Show Cause Order July 16 2013 | 38.88 KB pdf | Court document | Download |
| Ibori Nigeria Appeals May 14 2014 | 202.34 KB pdf | Media article | Download |
| Vanguard media article June 2016 | 583.71 KB pdf | Media article | Download |