London Court Grants $500,000 Bail to a Former Nigerian First Lady

The former ‘First lady’ of the Nigerian Delta State, Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, who was arrested on Tuesday and arraigned before a Westminster Magistrate Court in London has been granted bail in the sum of £250,000.

The bail conditions were set with Wednesday as the deadline, in the amount of £250,000, or alternatively, a landed property in the United Kingdom representing the same amount, without which Mrs. Ibori will not be granted temporary freedom.

Her team of lawyers confessed that the conditions are too harsh to meet, with all stiff terms and the limited time given to her to raise the money.

Mrs Ibori was arrested at the London Heathrow airport by the UK Metropolitan Police with whom she had previously maintained a series of appointments over the past several months.

Mrs Ibori and her husband, James Ibori, former governor of Delta State, are among the most wanted of all Nigeria’s ex-leaders-cum-politicians under the surveillance of Interpol.

They were both accused of laundering several billions of dollars belonging to the Nigerian state.

The former governor has had several of his multi-million dollar assets seized by the London Court.

Reading the charges against Mrs Ibori, the London Court says that between May 1999 and March 2003, she had conspired together with (three others) to “conceal or transfer property or remove it from jurisdiction for the purpose of avoiding prosecution; an offence to which part 6 of the Criminal Act of 1988 applies.”

Mrs Ibori was acclaimed as the most flamboyant among all the ‘First Ladies’ of 36 states of Nigeria.

“The Nigerian Federal government and President Musa Yar’Adua have repeatedly made it clear that no one with a case against him or her should be spared, irrespective of status. The international crusade against corrupt officials is ongoing, said an official of the Nigeria High Commission in London, who refused to be named.

Though the Iboris embraced the philanthropic venture, with some viable projects that have benefited the under-privileged people in their oil-rich Delta State throughout their eight year tenure, many attested that it was their extravagant life styles that created most of the problems they are currently facing.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher