The pioneer
Chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has been listed as a key witness against a
former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who the Federal Government is
attempting to repatriate from the United Kingdom to face fresh trial.
Ribadu had
in an affidavit accused Ibori of giving him as much as $15million bribe in 2007
so that the EFCC boss would not initiate a case against him.
After
receiving the cash, however, Ribadu entered it into evidence after which it was
kept in the vault of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ribadu had
said, “Ibori approached me with $15m to stop his investigation. The money was
brought in sacks. I called my people because the money was in big bags, which
two people could not carry and we deposited it in the CBN as evidence against
him.”
Justice
Gabriel Kolawole on October 25, 2013, awarded the Federal government ownership
of the $15m Ibori bribe which is the subject of legal tussle between EFCC and
Delta State Government.
Justice
Kolawole said that in the final analysis, “the applicant’s application to make
a final forfeiture order succeeds and the said sum of $15m is hereby forfeited
to the first applicant, that is, the Federal Government who shall take steps to
capture it in its earnings of the Federal Government of Nigeria in its
2012/2013 fiscal year and shall administer the funds to address specific needs
that will be beneficial to a greater number of the citizenry.”
When asked
to react to information available to Punch that the Attorney General of the
Federation had listed him among the Government’s list of witnesses against
Ibori, Ribadu said, “I am not aware. But if I am asked to testify, I will.”
0 Comments