Timipre Sylva arraigned for N2.45billion fraud

by Ranti Joseph

Well, former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva won’t be let off the hook easily by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as he was re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for fraud involving about N2.45billion.

Sylva allegedly committed the offence between October 2009 and February 2010 as governor of Bayelsa State.

He pleaded not guilty to all the six counts when he was re-arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu on Monday.

He also has similar charges pending against him before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Sylva had earlier pleaded not guilty to the Monday’s six counts when he was first arraigned for the offences before Justice Adamu Bello on June 5, 2012.

The case had to start afresh following the retirement of ‎Bello, a development which prompted Sylva’s re-arraignment before Chukwu on Monday.

The prosecuting counsel, Festus Keyamo, who signed the charges, accused Sylva of offences, including conversion of various sums of money belonging to the state with the aim of concealing their illicit origins.

He also accused Sylva of inducing‎ Union Bank Plc to fraudulently grant him N2billion overdraft facility under the pretext of using the money to augment workers’ salary, an offence he committed in conspiracy with other unnamed persons who is said to still be at large.

‎In the first count, the EFCC alleged that between October 2009 and February 2010, he conspired with other unnamed persons to convert property and resources amounting to N2billion belonging to‎ Bayelsa State Government derived from an illegal act, with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said amount.

In the second count, the EFCC alleged that on January 22, 2010, Sylva converted the sum of N380million, property of 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.

Count 3 accused the former governor of converting N50m belonging to his state 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.

‎Count 4 alleges that the accused, on January 5, 2010, converted the sum of N20million belonging to Bayelsa State, through the account of one John Daukoru with Account No. 04800250000418, in United Bank of Africa 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.

After the arraignment on Monday, Chukwu granted bail to Sylva in the conditions and terms previously granted by the former trial judge.

The oral bail application by Sylva’s lawyer, Israel Olorundare (SAN), was not opposed by the prosecuting counsel from Keyamo’s law firm, John Ainetor.

Ainetor had only urged the court to grant the bail if it was willing to do so in terms that would secure the availability of the accused person in court. The court fixed May 25 for commencement of trial.

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