Former governor’s wife arrested

Nkoyo, known as Tessy to close friends and relatives, was said to be waiting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight for Lagos when the Met Police picked her up.
She was reportedly arrested in connection with ongoing enquiries into money laundering involving her husband.
The Met Police confirmed Nkoyo’s arrest stating, “Officers from the Proceeds of Corruption Unit arrested a 39-year-old woman at Heathrow Airport on November 1 before a flight to Lagos, in connection with an ongoing money-laundering enquiry. The woman remains in custody at a West London police station. So far she has not been charged with any offence.”

Mr. James McLaughlin of the Press and Public Affairs Section at the British High Commission in Abuja also confirmed Nkoyo’s arrest to newsmen but refused to divulge details saying he is not allowed to comment on an ongoing police investigation.
It was learnt that she might likely be granted bail today, depending on her level of co-operation with investigators at the anti-fraud unit of the Met Police. Under British laws, a suspect cannot be detained for more than 48 hours without being charged for an offence.
However, if the Met Police determines it needs more time to interrogate Mrs. Ibori, it may apply for an extension before a magistrate court to detain her for a further 48 hours.

Speechly Bircham, the London-based law firm that has been representing Ibori before the British courts, was on Friday working to get Nkoyo out on bail. The firm declined to comment on the arrest.
There were speculations that Mrs. Ibori was told by her husband to return to Nigeria, where he felt it would be easier to fight their impending prosecution on corruption charges.
Nkoyo, who also carries a British passport, is one of the several people being targeted by the British police in the investigation of Ibori. Others include Ibori’s sisters and a former aid.

Ibori is one of several former state governors who remain wanted for questioning in London on money-laundering charges. The former Delta State governor is accused of looting state funds.
The Met Police’s specialist Proceeds of Crime Unit is liaising with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to find out whether the $35m assets - said to include a Bombardier private jet and property in London - were obtained illegally. Enquiries are simultaneously continuing in Nigeria.

On August 2 2007, the Met Police Service obtained a freeze on Ibori’s assets under Britain’s Proceeds of Crime Act. The law permits police in Britain to apply for suspect monies to be frozen in the pre-trial stage of a criminal investigation.
Ibori’s lawyers later obtained a letter from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa stating that Ibori had been investigated but not charged, tried or convicted in Nigeria “relating to money laundering or any other offences.”

This helped persuade Judge Goymer of Southwark Crown Court that there was insufficient proof the assets were the proceeds of crime. The judge then vacated the August order at the beginning of October. However, a London High Court a few days later ordered the refreezing of the assets.
The British government later accused the Federal Government of shielding the former governor from investigations, but President Yar’Adua was quick to deny the allegation and even went further to invite the Met Police to Nigeria to collaborate with Nigerian anti-corruption agencies.