- Chief James Ibori has said he has little faith in the United Kingdom (UK)’s judicial system
- The former governor of Delta state made the comment ahead of the U.K. Appeal Court ruling on his case
- Ibori was released from prison in December 2016 after a court order. He served 4 years out of the 13 years he was sentenced to
Chief James Ibori has said he has little faith in the United Kingdom (UK)’s judicial system as he awaits the country's Appeal Court ruling on his case scheduled for Wednesday, October 17.
In a statement sent to journalists by his media assistant, Tony Eluemunor, Ibori said he was informed that the British Court of Appeal will rule on the challenge he mounted against his conviction.
The former governor of Delta state was released from prison in December 2016 after a court order. He served 4 years out of the 13 years he was sentenced to.
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Part of the statement read: “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.
“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 the 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; lessons I could not have learnt in any institution of higher learning. Such uncommon lessons have made me a better person as they have shown me the down side of life and that, unfortunately, perception often trumps reality.
“I have accepted my ordeal as part of my destiny and have come to terms with it. I have served my punishment, and I have never allowed the ordeal to weigh me down. Luckily for me, with every passing day the charges heaped on me are daily proved to have been deliberate lies.”
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Meanwhile, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has condemned the travel ban imposed by the federal government on 50 Nigerians.
Abubakar, on Sunday afternoon, October 14, warned that the travel ban was capable of devastating the Nigerian economy, and could at worse plunge the most-populous black nation into anarchy.
The presidential candidate in a statement from his campaign office said the action by the president in imposing the ban was undemocratic and contravenes the sworn oath to abide by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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Source: Naija.ng