LONDON COURT TO RULE ON IBORI'S MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES NOVEMEBR 13

The Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom, may in November, rule on a suit brought before it by the former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori; his wife Theresa, sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; former special assistant, Adebimpe Pogoson and lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil.

Ibori and others had claimed that the money laundering case against them should be dismissed for lack of evidence.

Judge Rivlin, a Queens counsel, has slated the ruling for November 13 and 14.

An online news agency, saharareporters, stated that the submission made by Ibori and others involved in the case was based on a letter purportedly written by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN).

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The agency stated in its report, "In the letter, Mr. Aondoakaa claimed that the evidence against the Iboris, which was supplied to the British Metropolitan Police by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under Nuhu Ribadu's watch, was obtained without his consent and is therefore illegal and inadmissible."

At the hearing of the case on Wednesday, lawyer to Theresa, Mr. Mitchell, was reported to have handed a copy of the letter to the judge and declared that the letter "plainly founds our submission."

The agency reported that the AGF claimed in the letter, which was addressed to the British Home Secretary, that the evidence supplied to the Crown Prosecution Service by the EFCC was without his consent as the AGF.

Mitchell reportedly informed the court that he would rely on the letter to argue that the EFCC officers who supplied the evidence acted beyond their powers thus making the evidence inadmissible in law.

Lawyer to the Crown Prosecution Service, Sasha Wass QC, was said to have informed the court that officers of the Metropolitan Police did not act in bad faith in obtaining the evidence.

She explained that the request for Mutual Legal Assistance was sent by the Crown Prosecution Service to the AGF and that the AGF delegated the matter to the EFCC, which has wide investigatory and enforcement powers.

At the hearing slated for November, the judge is expected to hear arguments on the legality and admissibility of the evidence obtained from the EFCC.