back to top

Court Dismisses N19.2bn Fraud Allegations Against Sylva

Read Also:

Timpreye Sylva

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed the N19.2bn fraud charges against a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.

This brings to an end all pending Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, cases against ‎the former governor.

The judge held that the charges instituted against Sylva by the EFCC were an abuse of court process since they were based on the same set of transactions involved in the N2.45bn charges that were recently dropped against the accused person.




     

     

    The court also noted that the EFCC attempted to interfere with course of justice by withdrawing the N2.45bn charges after the court had heard and adjourned for ruling on Sylva’s notice of preliminary ,complaining of the multiplicity of the charges filed against him by the EFCC.

    Read Also:

    The court equally held that the anti graft agency ought to have withdrawn earlier charges if it had been ready to prosecute the accused person.

    Sylva was arraigned for N19.2bn fraud charges in 2012 alongside Nide Francis Okonkwo, Gbenga Balogun and Samuel Ogbuku.

    They were alleged to have used three firms, Marlin Maritime Ltd, Eat Catering Services Ltd, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Ltd to defraud the state of N19.2bn between 2009 and 2012.

    Join the ICIR WhatsApp channel for in-depth reports on the economy, politics and governance, and investigative reports.

    Support the ICIR

    We invite you to support us to continue the work we do.

    Your support will strengthen journalism in Nigeria and help sustain our democracy.

    If you or someone you know has a lead, tip or personal experience about this report, our WhatsApp line is open and confidential for a conversation

    Support the ICIR

    We need your support to produce excellent journalism at all times.

    -Advertisement-

    Recent

    - Advertisement