The United Kingdom isn’t done with former Bayelsa Governor, DSP Alamieyeseigha, just yet. The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock has said his country will do all within its powers to seek the extradition of Alamieyesigha to answer for his money laundering crimes.

In November of 2005, the former State Governor was back in trousers and at his desk after dressing up as a woman and skipping bail in Britain on charges of laundering £1.8m.

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha returned to his home village a folk hero after apparently escaping Europe in a dress and on a forged passport. Crowds cheered and waved leaves to welcome back the then Governor of Bayelsa state and national daily, ThisDay, published a photomontage of him in a red dress, necklace, head-dress and lipstick. “Today I am back at my desk, forever committed to serve the people of Bayelsa and Nigeria. I thank the almighty God for his protection,” said Mr Alamieyeseigha.

The Governor was arrested at Heathrow airport in September of 2005 and had his passport confiscated. He faced three money-laundering charges after police found £1m in cash at his London address and property in his name worth £10m.

Upon his return, Alams forfeited a £1.25m bail bond and was granted state pardon by his protege Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.

“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”, Pocock said.

“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”, the ambassador added.

However, a former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, said since Alamieyeseigha was granted state pardon by erstwhile president Goodluck Jonathan, there isn’t a need to extradite him to the UK to answer for same crimes.

Not correct, says the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, who offered that the United Kingdom has every legal right to demand for the extradition of Alamieyeseigha to London because the crime for which he was erroneously pardoned back home was committed in the UK.

“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.”

When asked if the absence of an Attorney General could stall the case of extradition of Alamieyeseigha, Sagay said there was no rush as the country’s new ministers would soon emerge.

He said, “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.”

When asked if the case would not be seen as political prosecution or a witch-hunt, Sagay dismissed such claims as balderdash.

He said, “This is the new defence for criminal prosecution which is being drummed up in Nigeria. It does not exist in law. Witch-hunt has never been a defence in court. The plea is guilty or not guilty. You are a real witch if you are guilty and should be hunted.”