$15m Ibori bribe: Court orders arrest of Senator Uba, oil magnate

AN Abuja, chief magistrates Court, on Tuesday, ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and investigate a serving senator, Dr Andy Uba and an oil magnate, Chief Chibuike Achigbu,for their involvement in the $15 million allegedly offered as bribe by the convicted former Delta State governor, James Ibori. Chief Magistrate G. O. Okagu issued the order, following a Direct Criminal Complaint broughtagainst them by Human Rights activist and Lagos-based lawyer, Festus Keyamo and argued by Ugochukwu Ezekiel. The court gave the police boss tillSeptember 26 to report back to the court with his findings upon which the senator and the oil magnate might be put on trial. Keyamo had premised his application on an earlier one filedat the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja by Achigbu, wherein he claimed that the controversial money belonged to him. Achigbu had claimed that he gave the money to Uba for the purpose of financing the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) during the 2007 general election. Meanwhile, Achigbu had, however, filed a motion to discontinue the application. Keyamo, an Urhobo from Delta State, said he filed the Direct Criminal Complaint against the duo because of his resolve to fight corruption and protect funds belonging to his state (Delta State). In the verifying affidavit, Keyamo averred: “That the society is crying for justice in this matter and only an intervention by the court can answer the cry. “That it will be in the best interest of justice to bring the accused persons to answer to this complaint.