I stole N37.5bn •Ibori pleads guilty in UK •To be sentenced April 16

“He was never the legitimate governor and there was effectively a thief in government house.”
FORMER governor of Delta State, who is standing trial in the United Kingdom (UK), Chief James Ibori, has pleaded guilty in a UK court to a 10-count charge of laundering $250 million (N37.5 billion) and conspiracy to defraud.

He is due to be sentenced on April 16.

Ibori, according to report, changed his plea to guilty and admitted stealing money from Delta State and laundering it in London through a number of offshore companies, as his trial at London's Southwark Crown Court was about to begin on Monday.

The British police had accused him of stealing $250 million (£160 million) during his eight-year rule as governor of Delta State.

Ibori was referred to as a “thief in government house” by the prosecutor.

The former governor was arrested in 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and then extradited to London.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) quoted prosecutor QC (Sasha Wass) to have said that Ibori, 53, had "tricked his way into becoming Delta State governor, by giving a false date of birth and claiming he had no criminal record.

“He was never the legitimate governor and there was effectively a thief in government house.

“As the pretender of that public office, he was able to plunder Delta State's wealth and hand out patronage."

Ibori's wife, Theresa, his sister, Christine, his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, and his London solicitor, Bhadresh Gohil, have all been convicted of money laundering.

The BBC had said that the convictions of the accused persons could only be reported on Monday after reporting restrictions were lifted.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had asked the UK's Metropolitan Police to look into the ex-governor's financial affairs.

"The vast sums of money involved were used to fund Ibori's lavish lifestyle.