Diepreye Alamieyeseigha

Diepreye Peter Solomon Alamieyeseigha was elected Governor of Bayelsa State in May 1999 as a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party. Later re-elected in 2003, his second term of office was intended to run until May 2007, but was cut short by impeachment on allegations of corruption in December 2005. Investigations by the Proceeds of Corruption Unit of the London Metropolitan Police led to his arrest in September 2005, where he was charged with three counts of money laundering. 

After three weeks in custody, Alamieyeseigha was released on bail on conditions including the surrender of his passport, the payment of USD 2.6 million to the English High Court in sureties, and daily reporting to the police. Alamieyeseigha then sought to challenge his arrest and prosecution in England on the basis that he enjoyed state immunity under English law. This argument was rejected by the English Crown Court and  on appeal by the High Court. In November 2005,  Alamieyeseigha managed to flee England and return to Nigeria, intending to resume office and believing that he was safe from prosecution because of his constitutional immunity.

However, impeachment by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly removed Alamieyeseigha's immunity. Afterwards, he was arrested by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in december 2005, questioned, and charged on money laundering and corruption offenses. In July 2007, Alamieyesigha pleaded guilty. he was sentenced to two years in prison from the day of his arrest two years earlier. He was released a few hours after his sentence.