Ibori sentenced to 13 years imprisonment

The former governor of Delta state James Ibori who was in the docks for money laundering has been sentenced to 13 years. He pleaded guilty in a UK court to 10 counts of money-laundering and conspiracy to defraud. Ibori, once seen as one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most influential politicians, was arrested in 2010 in Dubai and then extradited to London.

His wife, Theresa Nkoyo Ibori was earlier sentenced to five years in prison by the Southwark Crown Court in November 2010 while he was fighting extradition from Dubai to London. In a previous trial, the court had also sent to prison Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo. Ibori, whose address was given as Primrose Hill, north London, claims to be 53 but police in London say he is 49.

The judge sounded pretty dissappointed with him, sentencing him, Judge Anthony Pitts told Ibori: "You lived modestly in London in the 1990s and no-one I think hearing at that time would imagine the multi millionaire high profile governor that you became some eight or nine years later. It was during those two terms that you turned yourself in short order into a multi-millionaire through corruption and theft in your powerful position as Delta state governor."

In the UK prison system, with good behaviour, he should serve between 5 and 6 and a half years.