Ibori says he has little faith n British judicial system as his appeal is due to be heard this week

FORMER Delta State governor Chief James Ibori has revealed that he has little faith in the UK justice system after the injustice that was visited on him in 2012 when he was sentenced to 13-years in jail by Southwark Crown Court for corruption and money laundering.

In 2012, Chief Ibori was sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering and fraud but was released last year after serving less than half of his sentence. Despite pleading guilty to the charges when convicted, the former governor is now appealing the sentence, saying one of the British police officers who investigated him took bribes from a private detective in 2007.

On Wednesday, the appeal will be heard in court but it appears that Chief Ibori is not too optimistic of victory. According to Chief Ibori's spokesman Tony Eluemunor, issued a statement in which his principal made it clear he is not enthusiastic about success given past antecedents.

Chief  Ibori said:  “I have been informed that the British Court of Appeal will on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, in London rule on the challenge I mounted against my conviction. Many Nigerian journalists who have been following Mr Lambertus de Boer on Twitter have also for days now been contacting me concerning the ruling.

“Let me state unequivocally that just as I stated in the legal appeal against my conviction, I have been a victim of political persecution instead of judicial and legal prosecution as untold quantum of lies were heaped against me, even in the United Kingdom and by her officials too. Owing to this, I have since lost faith in the British judicial system, having been through it and observed first-hand the politics, desperation and wicked machinations inherent in the process that rigged the trial against me and against all judicial wholesome processes, which differentiate the modern era from the dark ages.

“Therefore, to those who have been calling me ahead of the ruling, I say this o whatever the outcome of Wednesday’s ruling, I will continue to protest the political nature of my predicament. This was very evident in the attempt by Home Secretary to detain me in prison beyond the stipulated sentence, even after I had served my legally prescribed term.

"In all of this, I will say that what I have been through since the persecution against me began has taught me incredible lessons. These are lessons I could not have learnt in any institution of higher learning."