Professor Itse Sagay, says a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, could possibly be extradited to the United Kingdom to face his outstanding criminal charges.
Sagay, who’s the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, says the UK has every legal right to demand for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition to London after skipping bail from the country.
His reaction was as a result of the comments of the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, who said Alamieyeseigha, had an outstanding case of money laundering to answer in the UK and that his government will not give up until he’s brought to justice.
Pocock was quoted to have said: “The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.
“We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer the charge in the UK.”
Sagay reacted thus: “Alamieyeseigha allegedly committed a separate crime by laundering money in Britain and that is not a crime in Nigeria but a crime against British Criminal Law and so, Goodluck Jonathan cannot pardon him for that.”
“Certainly, the case can be stalled but there is a pact between Britain and Nigeria which obliges us to extradite offenders who they are looking for. There is a process. A judge will give consent once there is evidence that there is a prima facie case against him in England.”
Leave a reply