Ex Bayelsa Gov,Sylva Loses 48 Houses To EFCC

THE  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC)  on Thursday said that it has taken possession of 48 properties of a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Sylva who is being prosecuted at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for alleged misappropriation of N6.46 billion state funds when he was governor of the state.

The interim forfeiture order to attach Sylva’s properties was granted by Justice A. R Mohammed on December 28, 2012.

Assets belonging to the former governor, against which a forfeiture order was obtained by the EFCC included a mansion at 3 River Niger Street, Plot 3192 Cadastral zone AO, Maitama District Abuja; nine units (comprising six one bedroom and 3 two bedroom apartments) 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;  5 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 3 units of three bedroom flats at No. 1 Mubi Close, Plot 766. Cadastral Zone A01, Garki, Abuja.

It is recalled that Sylva was first arraigned on Tuesday June 5, 2012.

Part of the six-count charge slammed on Sylva 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 the 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.”

Meanwhile, in his reaction on Thursday night, former Governor Sylva said the houses in question do not belong to him.

He also told the  anti-graft agency to respect the rule of law.

Sylva in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Doifie Ola on Thursday night described the commission’s claims as “completely misleading.”

“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,” the statement said in part.

“EFCC as a creation of the law cannot be seen to be acting lawlessly and with impunity.

“The claims by the EFCC are  completely misleading. Not surprisingly, this style is in line with EFCC’s known bully-boy tactics and media hysteria. The houses in question do not belong to Sylva.  

“Sylva’s property are intact, and fully covered by the order validly issued by Justice M.M. Kolo of an Abuja High Court on 27 December 2012.

“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. This application was granted and hearing in the matter is fixed for  January 4, 2013.”