The sentence brings to an end the ex-governor's long road to jail and earns him the repute of the first Nigerian politician to get a jail sentence abroad for stealing [public funds - an act which has become an open pass-time for Nigerian politicians.
This is the third time Mr Ibori, a serial thief, got sentenced for theft in London.
Mr Ibori gets the latest sentence for stealing at least $250 million of public funds within the period he served as governor of the wealthy Delta state.
Leniency plea
After listening to the prosecutor reel out Mr. Ibori's crimes, his counsel, Nicholas Purnell, apparently to Ibori's astonishment, entered a plea strategy - begging the judge to be lenient with his client's punishment.
Mr Purnell cited Ibori's accomplishments while serving as governor of the state he admitted looting.
Ibori's lawyer credited him for every development in Nigeria, from banking reforms, peace in the Niger Delta to improved bilateral relations between the UK and Nigeria.
Like the prosecutor, Mr Purnell admitted Mr. Ibori stole money from his people in the V-Mobile shares deal he brokered with the Akwa Ibom state government but blamed the then Akwa Ibom state governor, Victor Attah, and Ibori's former lawyer - and conduit for the stolen wealth - Bhaderesh Gohil, for luring him into the crime.
John Fashanu, ex-footballer and a close pal of Ibori, was also in court and testified to Ibori's goodness in character and sports development.
The judge, after listening to the prosecutor the previous day, described Ibori's several frauds as "sensational.
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