Dubai police deny Ibori's bail claims

Contrary to the claims of Chief James Onanefe Ibori, the Dubai Police has denied promising to grant the former governor of Delta State a fresh bail.

Ibori had claimed in an electronic mail that the police authorities of the United Arab Emirates had promised to free him the same week his bail was revoked. Leadership can authoritatively confirm that there was no such agreement between the Dubai Police and Chief Ibori, who is still languishing in the prison where he has been kept since June.

An e-mail sent to our correspondent by the Dubai Police authorities said the police authorities were forced to look at flight risk, interference with evidence or witness, or the possibility of committing another offence as the three main factors considered when contemplating bail revocation.

The mail further stated that the police revoked his bail and did not promise him a fresh bail because of an actionable intelligence that the former Delta State chief executive might flee Dubai, having become desperate following the sentencing of two of his associates to five-year jail terms.

"We only told Mr. Ibori that he would remain in prison until the conclusion of his extradition hearing in the United Arab Emirates; so, where did he get the promise that he was going to be granted a fresh bail within a week? "The extradiction case may last for more than one year and he will have to remain here till the end of the hearing," the electronic mail signed by one Haliyah Mohamed further said.

It would be recalled that Ibori went to Dubai police headquarters in June for a chit-chat with the Interpol boss in Dubai where he was informed that they would need him to remain in jail just to follow up on some information they received on his case.

The former Delta State governor is currently fighting the battle of his life, as members of his legal team are trying to get him bail, and subsequently stop his imminent extradition to the United Kingdom to face sundry money laundering charges.

But in a new development, the United Arab Emirate Court which rejected the no-case defense filed by Ibori at the beginning of last week, also gave the British Police 30 days to file further evidence against the former governor.

A source close to Ibori's camp stated that efforts by his lawyers are on a top gear as many arguments have been raised by them to make the Dubai Police authorities understand the need for them to grant him bail before the conclusion of the extradiction case.

Leadership

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