By Tosin Omoniyi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, filed fresh corruption charges against the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Sylva is being charged alongside one Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku,

They were alleged to have used three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited to defraud Bayelsa State of about N19.2 billion between 2009 and 2012, under false pretence of using the monies to augment salaries of civil servants.

The  action of the anti-graft agency comes two days after Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court dismissed the 42- count charge of stealing brought  against Sylva and his co-accused by the EFCC.

The court noted that the prosecution’s application to consolidate the charges against the defendants amounted to an abuse of court process.

The commission subsequently faulted the ruling on the grounds that it was premature as the accused persons had not taken any plea before the court.

The action of the judge, the EFCC said, stalled its move to consolidate the charges against the former governor having, days earlier, withdrawn similar charges pending before the same court.

The anti-graft agency said it is currently awaiting the formal assignment of the case, to pave way for the arraignment of Sylva and co-defendants.