Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, has explained the reason why the assets confiscation trial of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, recently failed in London, saying the prosecution could not tender evidences to prosecute him.
In the same vein, he ridiculed claims that he jointly opened an account with the former governor in South Africa, and stated that he had never visited that country and could not have opened a bank account there.
While fielding questions from Journalists in Makurdi, Aondoakaa who served in the government of late Umaru Yar’Adua, also defended his insistence that the trial of the former governor should adhere to the rule of law.
Hear him: “If I had any account anywhere in the world, by now it should have been out.
“The allegation they brought up which was funny and laughable was that I have an account in South Africa, jointly, with James Ibori.
“As I am talking to you, throughout my life, I have never visited South Africa and I challenge anybody in the world.
“I wrote the Metropolitan Police, it was a very laughable experience for you to say I have a bank account of £40 million pounds in a country I have never visited.
“It is not possible to have an account without you being there, because all over the world they must have your biometric data. So, how?
“But as I am sitting here, since I was born I have never visited South Africa. So these were some of the lies that were flying about as at that time.
“Of course, there was trial in London but did anyone mention my name? From the beginning to the end, was my name mentioned?
“Mind you, Ibori finished his office before I became the Attorney General. I never knew him before until I met him just like any other person who saw him when he was coming to Aso Villa.
“So, for somebody to come and heap things on me is unthinkable, but this was the order of the day.
“Now his confiscation trial has collapsed in London, but is it me? Am I the Attorney General now? Is it me who has frustrated it?
“It has collapsed in London and they have said it should start again because there are no evidences, according to them. Have I interfered with it?”
Source: Daily Independent
