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Nkoyo Ibori re-arrested in London


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

THE London Metropolitan Police has re- arrested Delta State former First Lady, Mrs Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, on charges of money laundering. She was first arrested in November 2007 and granted bail.


Mrs Theresa Nkoyo Ibori (L) and Ex-gov James Ibori (R)


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Theresa was charged to court yesterday in London and denied bail. The Crown Prosecution Service said there was a case against her and she is being detained to prevent her from fleeing to Nigeria.

She'll be declared innocent — James Ibori

Her husband, James, in a statement last night said: “My wife, Mrs. Nkoyo Ibori, was today (yesterday) charged to court by the London Metropolitan Police. For the avoidance of doubt, I state the facts as follows:

“My wife was not arrested in London or anywhere on Monday. Instead, she left Nigeria Sunday night expressly to keep a routine appointment with the London Metropolitan Police.

“She has kept several such appointments with the London Police since November 1, last year when she was called in at the Heathrow Airport, London, for questioning as she was about to return to Nigeria.

“She was charged to court on four counts. They include:

  • That between First day of May 1999 and the 24th day of March 2003, you conspired together with (three others) concealed or transfer property or remove it from jurisdiction for the purpose of avoiding prosecution, an offence to which Part Six of the criminal Act of 1988 applies.

  • Conspired to conceal property or conceal or disguise property which was in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented their proceeds of criminal conduct or convert or transfer property or remove it from the jurisdiction or the purpose of avoiding prosecution for any offence to which part of the criminal justice act 1988 applies.

  • Conceal or disguise property, (a )conceal or transfer property which was or in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented their proceeds of criminal conduct; (b) convert or transfer property or remove it from jurisdiction for the purpose of avoiding prosecution for an offence to which part six of the criminal justice Act 1988 applies

  • Conspire to conceal criminal property with others and to conceal, convert, transfer or remove criminal property knowing, suspecting that the property constitute a personal benefit from a criminal conduct contrary to the Criminal Justice to benefit in whole or in part, whether directly or indirectly.

“I am confident that my wife will be declared innocent. It is, however, clear that the London case arose as a large part of the deliberate attempt to smear my name and everyone else connected to me.

Yet, I have absolute faith in the Almighty God that these spurious allegations will easily crumble and my family’s name will be cleared.”