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Jailed Nigerian leader in hospital

Posted by Sundaytimes on 2006/02/07 | Views: 611 |

Jailed Nigerian leader in hospital


A Nigerian former state governor, whose arrest triggered a series of attacks against oil facilities, has been moved from jail to a private hospital for treatment, his lawyer told a court.

LAGOS - A Nigerian former state governor, whose arrest triggered a series of attacks against oil facilities, has been moved from jail to a private hospital for treatment, his lawyer told a court.

Defence counsel Mike Ozekhome refused to say how Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was arrested in December for embezzlement, had been taken ill.

But prosecutor Rotimi Jacobs alleged that the overweight politician was suffering the after-effects of a "tummy-tuck" operation he underwent last year in Germany prior to his impeachment as leader of oil-rich Bayelsa State.

Judge Muhammadu Shuaibu, sitting in the Federal High Court in Lagos, adjourned Alamieyeseigha's trial until February 16.

In September, Alamieyeseigha was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport, through which he was transferring after treatment in Germany, by Scotland Yard detectives probing claims he had stolen hundreds of millions of dollars.

The then governor later skipped bail to avoid British money-laundering charges, but was impeached by Bayelsa lawmakers shortly after his return to Nigeria and has now been detained pending his trial on graft charges.

Last month, armed militants group blew up an oil pipeline, killed 14 soldiers and kidnapped four western oil workers in Bayelsa in order to push their demand that he be released and returned to office.

The oil workers were released 19 days later.

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