Reason053
Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha
Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, who governed Bayelsa State from 1999 until his impeachment in December 2005, sits at the centre of one of Nigeria's most-cited gubernatorial corruption matters. He was arrested by the UK Metropolitan Police at Heathrow on 15 September 2005 on money-laundering allegations involving GBP1.8M in cash and accounts and approximately GBP10M in associated London assets. After being bailed by Bow Street / Southwark Crown Court, he left the United Kingdom in breach of bail conditions in November 2005, with UK authorities alleging he travelled in disguise — an account he denied. The Bayelsa State House of Assembly impeached him on 9 December 2005. On 26 July 2007 he entered a plea bargain before Justice Mohammed Shuaibu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, pleading guilty to a six-count charge and accepting a two-year sentence (back-dated to his December 2005 arrest, so he served only hours of additional time) and a N1.6 billion forfeiture order. US DOJ Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative actions later forfeited a Rockville, Maryland residence (~USD700,000+) and approximately USD400,000 from a Boston investment account. On 12-13 March 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan — his former deputy who had succeeded him into the governorship after the impeachment, then become Vice-President and President — granted him an unconditional state pardon following a National Council of State meeting, drawing widespread domestic and international criticism. He died in Port Harcourt on 10 October 2015, aged 62. Charitable framing: he denied wrongdoing in respect of the UK allegations and the pardon, when granted, formally cleared the legal effect of the Nigerian conviction.
Sources
- SOURCE-01BBC News — 'Nigerian state governor flees UK'
- BBC News — 'Nigerian state governor flees UK'news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4470176.stm
- SOURCE-02BAILII — Alamieyeseigha, R (on the application of) v Crown Prosecution Service [2005] EWHC 2704 (Admin)
- BAILII — Alamieyeseigha, R (on the application of) v Crown Prosecution Service [2005] EWHC 2704 (Admin)www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2005/2704.html
- SOURCE-03World Bank StAR — Asset Recovery Watch (Alamieyeseigha, United Kingdom chapter)
- World Bank StAR — Asset Recovery Watch (Alamieyeseigha, United Kingdom chapter)star.worldbank.org/asset-recovery-watch-database/diepreye-alamieyeseigha-united-kingdom-chapter
- SOURCE-04US Department of Justice — 'Department of Justice Forfeits More Than $400,000 in Corruption Proceeds Linked to Former Nigerian Governor' (Office of Public Affairs press release)
- US Department of Justice — 'Department of Justice Forfeits More Than $400,000 in Corruption Proceeds Linked to Former Nigerian Governor' (Office of Public Affairs press release)www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/department-justice-forfeits-more-400000-corruption-proceeds-linked-former-nigerian-governor
- SOURCE-05US Department of Justice — 'Rockville, Md., Property Purchased with Nigerian Corruption Proceeds Forfeited Through Justice Department's Kleptocracy Initiative'
- US Department of Justice — 'Rockville, Md., Property Purchased with Nigerian Corruption Proceeds Forfeited Through Justice Department's Kleptocracy Initiative'www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/rockville-md-property-purchased-nigerian-corruption-proceeds-forfeited-through-justice
- SOURCE-06SaharaReporters (25 July 2007) — 'DSP Alamieyeseigha pleads guilty-jailed 2 years!'
- SaharaReporters (25 July 2007) — 'DSP Alamieyeseigha pleads guilty-jailed 2 years!'saharareporters.com/2007/07/25/dsp-alamieyeseigha-pleads-guilty-jailed-2-years
- SOURCE-07Premium Times — 'Former Bayelsa governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is dead' (10 October 2015)
- Premium Times — 'Former Bayelsa governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is dead' (10 October 2015)www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/191319-former-bayelsa-governor-diepreye-alamieyeseigha-is-dead.html
- SOURCE-08Premium Times — 'How Alamieyeseigha died — Bayelsa Government'
- Premium Times — 'How Alamieyeseigha died — Bayelsa Government'www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/south-south-regional/191363-how-alamieyeseigha-died-bayelsa-government.html
- SOURCE-09Channels TV (13 March 2013) — 'Presidential Pardon to Alamieyeseigha Sparks Outrage'
- Channels TV (13 March 2013) — 'Presidential Pardon to Alamieyeseigha Sparks Outrage'www.channelstv.com/2013/03/13/presidential-pardon-to-alamieyeseigha-sparks-outrage/
- SOURCE-10Vanguard (March 2013) — 'Alamieyeseigha: Unpardonable pardon'
- Vanguard (March 2013) — 'Alamieyeseigha: Unpardonable pardon'www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/alamieyeseigha-unpardonable-pardon/
- SOURCE-11Premium Times — 'Why I pardoned ex-Governor Alamieyeseigha — Jonathan'
- Premium Times — 'Why I pardoned ex-Governor Alamieyeseigha — Jonathan'www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/296677-why-i-pardoned-ex-governor-alamieyeseigha-jonathan.html
- SOURCE-12The Nation — 'GBP5M Alamieyeseigha looted fund given to Bayelsa govt' (UK repatriation)
- The Nation — 'GBP5M Alamieyeseigha looted fund given to Bayelsa govt' (UK repatriation)thenationonlineng.net/5m-alamieyeseigha-looted-fund-given-to-bayelsa-govt-2/
- SOURCE-13TheCable — Obituary: 'Wife critically ill, son killed in Dubai... the sad end of Alamieyeseigha'
- TheCable — Obituary: 'Wife critically ill, son killed in Dubai... the sad end of Alamieyeseigha'www.thecable.ng/obituary-wife-critically-ill-son-killed-dubai-sad-end-alamieyeseigha/
- SOURCE-14allAfrica / Vanguard — '11 houses' forfeiture order
- allAfrica / Vanguard — '11 houses' forfeiture orderallafrica.com/stories/200707310001.html
- SOURCE-15SaharaReporters (2011) — early reporting on US Kleptocracy actions against the defendant
- SaharaReporters (2011) — early reporting on US Kleptocracy actions against the defendantsaharareporters.com/2011/08/01/ex-convict-alamieyeseigha-forfeit-600000-us-mansion-400000-cash-us-justice-department
- SOURCE-16SERAP statement (13 March 2013)
- SERAP statement (13 March 2013)serap-nigeria.org/2013/03/13/pardon-for-alamieyeseigha-amounts-to-arbitrary-exercise-of-power-says-serap/
- SOURCE-17Wikipedia — Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (corroborative)
- Wikipedia — Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (corroborative)en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diepreye_Alamieyeseigha
- SOURCE-18Tribune — Impeachments in Nigeria's political history
- Tribune — Impeachments in Nigeria's political historytribuneonlineng.com/impeachments-in-nigerias-political-history-constitutional-authority-and-political-realism-2/
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