Ex-Nigerian state Governor James Ibori, who was jailed 13 years in London on Tuesday after pleading guilty to money laundering charges, will face another trial after serving his term, Nigeria’s anti-graft agency said. In a statement, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it welcomes the jail sentence on the former Governor of the oil rich Delta state by a Southwark Crown Court in London.
“The Commission expects Ibori to serve his term in the UK and return to Nigeria to face other criminal charges pending in courts, arising from his eight year rule of Delta State.
‘The EFCC wishes to restate the fact that the offences for which Ibori was jailed in London is only a fraction of the array of criminal infractions committed by the former governor.
“The Commission remains committed in its determination to bring Ibori and other alleged corrupt politically exposed persons and corporate titans to book in Nigeria, no matter how long it takes.” it said.
The EFCC said the repatriation of the property and assets stolen by the convict was important.
It said the fact that Mr. Ibori could be convicted in London, when a Nigerian court had discharged him of the same charges earlier filed by EFCC, showed that the Nigerian judicial system needed to be strengthened if the war against corruption was to be won.