The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Thursday seized 48 properties belonging to the former governor of Bayelsa state, Timpre Sylva who is being prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged misappropriation of N6.46 billion state funds while in office.
According to a release issued by the Ag. Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, Justice A. R. Mohammed gave the seizure order on December 21, 2012. The assets include a mansion at No. 3
River Niger Street; Plot 3192 Cadastral Zone AO, Maitama District Abuja; Nine units (comprising six one bedroom and 3 two bedroom apartments) at No.8 Sefadu Street Wuse Zone 2; Plot 262 Cadastral
zone AO2, Wuse Abuja; 2 units of Duplexes at No.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;
No.10 units of one room apartments at No.8 Mistrata Street Plot 232 Cadastral Zone Wuse 11 Abuja; 5 units of 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 3 units of three bedroom flats at No. 1 Mubi Close, Plot 766. Cadastral Zone A01, Garki-Abuja . Sylva was first arraigned on Tuesday June 5, 2012.
The first three of the six count charge against him 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.” The substantive suit is adjourned to 10th January, 2013.
Meanwhile, Doifie Ola, the Media Adviser to ex-Gov. Sylva has described EFCC claims as false and misleading.
He said “The houses in question do not belong to Sylva. Sylva’s properties are intact and fully covered by the order validly issued by Justice M.M. Kolo of the Abuja High Court on 27 December 2012.
Source: African Examiner