UK police chief to be questioned over Ibori fraud case

The chief of the London Metropolitan Police, Bernard Hogan-Howe, has found himself in trouble after the Scotland Yard officers investigating former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, were involved in a “deliberate cover-up”.

A Daily Mail report that was published on Saturday stated hat the police boss will by next week answer questions from UK parliamentarians.

According to the publication, a UK court was told that the Met and the Crown Prosecution Service failed in their responsibility to disclose documents showing that officers investigating Ibori took bribe to reveal details of the investigations that could have helped the convicted politician dodge jail.

Former Delta state governor, James Ibori.

One detective on the team investigating the former Delta state governor made several unexplained cash deposits into his account running into thousands of pounds after disclosing sensitive information, the report stated.

As a result of this, UK police are accusing the whistle-blower, Bhadresh Gohil, a lawyer who had represented Ibori in the past, of falsifying documents.

The charges against Gohil were dropped after the CPS was forced to release papers it originally said did not exist. The papers suggested that Met officers took bribe.

Mr. Gohil had served seven years in prison for admitting to helping Ibori to launder some of his loot. He later claimed he was wrongly advised to do so by his legal team.

It would be recalled that Ibori was sentenced to a 13-year jail term by the Southwark Crown Court in 2012 after admitting to fraud and money laundering.

Two days ago, a report surfaced that Ibori’s defence lawyer, Chief James Onanaefe surprised the Southwark Court, London on February 10, by presenting evidence before the presiding judge, Judge Tomlinson, of a scheme by the Nigerian and British government to send Ibori and his associates to jail.

In a press statement, Tony Eluemunor, head of Ibori media office, disclosed that the evidence was the highlight of Wednesday’s court proceedings.