After 13 years in prison for theft, Ibori declares, I’m not, cannot be a thief

Delta State’s former Governor James Ibori, who was convicted and jailed for theft and recently released from prison custody in London after completing a 13-year jail term, has said he is not a thief and will never be a thief.

The former governor declared himself innocent of charges that kept him in prison in London on Sunday during a thanksgiving service put together in his honour by the monarch and people of home town, Oghara kingdom at the First Baptist Church.

For the first time since his return, Ibori who spoke in English and his Urhobo native dialect, made a public statement about his travails in London.

He said, “Today, I have decided to speak for myself, I am not a thief, I cannot be a thief. Today is the day they say I should give testimony to God, for those that know me, you know that my entire life is a testimony itself and I have said it over and over again that my life is fashioned by God, directed by God, sealed, acknowledged, blessed by God and I believe that since the day I was born.

“Like the Arch Bishop said, when this whole commotion started, what was most painful to me was the pain and suffering that my people were going through.

“It has nothing to do with me as a person because for some reasons like I said to you, I drew my strength from God and somehow, I knew that God would stand by me, I knew that one day, and this day would come. I am indeed very pleased that I can now stand before you and look at your faces, faces that I have missed and those of you that have indeed suffered the pains of my absence. It has nothing to do with me.

“So, when I reflect, it gives me joy that all your prayers, God has answered, all your support and solidarity with me all through this period, it is indeed not what I can begin to say…”

“If I am to give testimony of my journey, you will not leave here. The only testimony that I have is the fact that I am back and alive in your midst. And again I say that I never had any doubt in my mind that I would get back home,” he said.

He further explained in Urhobo dialect, “There is an Urhobo adage that says it is in the river that one changes clothes, it is in the river that I changed my cloth.”

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“When I looked how things were going, I discovered that they want to separate me from you people. They want me to go to the corner where I will not be seen. That is how I see it. At a point, I called my elder brother (former Governor Uduaghan) that this is how I can get home, that this is what I am about to do now. It was a pragmatic decision. I am happy to be home with my people. There is nobody that can battle with the Lord. Urhobo adage says there is time for everything (Okemutie).

“A day will come when I will tell my story and every one of you will hear me. Today is to thank God.”

In his sermon, “Knowing the Gift of God,” the South-South chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Arch Bishop Goddowell Awomakpa said, “Ibori was the point of contact that unites government with the church. What we actually need are politicians, who would go into politics for the betterment of the land.”

Those who attended the service included Former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, member representing Ethiope Federal constituency in the national assembly, Hon. Lovett Idisi, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Ovie Agas, Delta State APC factional chairman, Chief Adolor Okotie-Ebor and Senator Patrick Osakwe among others.

Ibori, following allegation that he stole more than $250million from the treasury of the oil-rich Delta State, was jailed on April 17, 2012, for 13 years in a London prison.

There are postulations that the ex-governor may still be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) any time soon.

 

 

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