The Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, Thursday, said it has taken possession of 48
properties of the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Sylva, who is being
prosecuted at a Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged misappropriation of
N6.46 billion state funds when he was governor of the state.
The EFCC said the interim
forfeiture order to seize Mr. Sylva’s properties was granted by A. R Mohammed,
judge of the Federal High Court, on December 21, 2012.
Assets belonging to the former
governor against which a forfeiture order was obtained by the EFCC include a
mansion at 3 River Niger Street, plot 3192 Cadastral zone AO, Maitama District
Abuja; nine units (comprising six apartments of one bedroom and three
apartments of two bedroom) at 8 Sefadu Street Wuse zone 2, plot 262 Cadastral
zone AO2, Wuse Abuja; 2 units duplexes at 5 Oguta Street, plot 906 Cadastral
zone Wuse 11 Abuja.
Others are a duplex at Plot
1271 Nike Street Cadastral zone AO5, Maitama District Abuja; a duplex at Phase
1 Unit No. 1 (Villa 1) Palm Springs Gold Estate, Cachez Turkey Projects
Limited, Mpape, Abuja; 10 units of one room apartments at 8 Mistrata Street
plot 232 Cadastral zone Wuse 11 Abuja; five units duplexes at Plot No 1070
Dakibiyu District Cadastral zone B10, Abuja; 16 units service apartments at
Plot 1181 Thaba Tseka Crescent, Off IBB Way, Wuse 11, Abuja; and three units of
three bedroom flats at No. 1 Mubi Close, Plot 766. Cadastral Zone A01, Garki,
Abuja.
Mr. Sylva was first arraigned
on Tuesday June 5, 2012.
The first three of the six
count charge against him by the EFCC reads: “ That you, Timpre Sylva, as
Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, sometime between October,
2009 and February, 2010, at various places in Nigeria, including Abuja, within
the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did conspire to commit a crime to
wit: conversion of properties and resources amounting to N2,000,000,000.00 (Two
Billion Naira) belonging to Bayelsa State Government and derived from an
illegal act, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said amount
and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17(a) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition Act), 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.
“That you, Timpre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State,
with others now at large, on or about the 22nd of January, 2010, at Abuja,
within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of
N380,000,000.00 (Three Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of the
Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a
Bureau De Change Operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank, Plc,
which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with the aim of
concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and you thereby
committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of the same Act.
“That you, Timpre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State,
with others now at large, on or about the 5th of February, 2010, at Abuja,
within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50,000,000.00
(Fifty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the
account of one Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 6152030001946, in First
Bank, Plc, which sum you knew represented the proceeds of an illegal act with
the aim of concealing the nature of the proceeds of the said illegal act and
you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14(1) of
the same Act.”
Sylva denies EFCC’s claim over possession of property
But the former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva,
has denied the claims by the EFCC.
Mr. Sylva’s Media Advisor, Doifie Ola, in a statement,
Thursday evening, denied that such an order was ever granted.
“Justice A.R. Mohammed never granted any temporary asset
forfeiture order to the EFCC on 21 December 2012. Rather he directed EFCC to
put Sylva on notice and the substantive matter is fixed for 10 January 2013,”
Mr. Ola said.
Mr. Sylva’s media advisor described the claims by the
EFCC as “completely misleading…and is in line with EFCC’s known bully-boy
tactics and media hysteria”.
He added that Mr. Sylva’s assets are intact, and fully
covered by the order validly issued by M.M. Kolo, judge of the Abuja High Court
on December 27, 2012.
Mr. Ola said Mr. Sylva had applied to the court for “an
interim order of court for the service of the originating process on the
respondent to serve as a stay of all actions in respect of the properties –
plot no 262, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse 1, District, Abuja, plot 3192, located
within Cadastral zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja, plot 232, Cadastral Zone
A07,(No. 8 Mistrata Street; Wuse II, Abuja) – by the respondents, their agents,
privies, representative or any other person deriving his/her authority from
them; either by sealing off, confiscating, ejecting any person from the
properties, trespassing into the properties or doing any other thing how ever
so described relating to the said properties pending the hearing and
determination of the motion on notice.”
He said the application was granted and hearing in the
matter is fixed for January 4.
This man na big time thieve, see his face. The EFCC should deal with him ruthlessly, that is if he would not bribe his freedom out. What a country? Shameful.
ReplyDeleteSylva has deprive his citizens from enjoying the benefit of providing and implementing basic and simple amenities. He has robbed the state and the masses of their priviledges and opportunities. God will purnish him. He will know sorrow all the days of his lives.
ReplyDelete