ALLEGED N6BN SCAM: EFCC CONFISCATES SYLVA’S 48 HOUSES

…properties scattered all over Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday seized 48 properties belonging to former Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva.

Sylva is facing trial at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for allegedly misappropriating N6.46bn public funds while he was the governor.

The interim forfeiture order, according to a statement by the EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, 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 include a mansion at 3, River Niger Street; Plot 3192 Cadastral Zone AO, Maitama District, Abuja; nine units comprising six one- bedroom and 3 twobedroom apartments at 8, Sefadu Street, Wuse Zone 2; Plot 262 Cadastral Zone AO2, Wuse, Abuja.

Others include two duplexes at 5, Oguta Street; Plot 906 Cadastral Zone Wuse 11; 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. It also include 10 units of one-room apartments at 8, Mistrata Street; Plot 232, Cadastral Zone, Wuse 11, Abuja; 5 units duplexes at Plot 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 1, Mubi Close, Plot 766, Cadastral Zone A01, Garki, Abuja.

Sylva was first arraigned on June 5, 2012. The first three of the six count-charge against the former governor reads:

The first three of the six count-charge against the former governor 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 N2bn 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, 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 N2bn 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 January 22, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N380m, property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a bureau de change operator with account number 221433478108 in FinBank 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 February 5, 2010 at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50m, property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Enson Benmer Limited with account number 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 suit is adjourned till January 10.

But Sylva has denied that the properties seized by the EFCC were owned by him.

The former governor, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Doifie Ola, described the EFCC claim on the seized properties as misleading.

“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 December 27, 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 262, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse 1, District, Abuja; Plot 3192, located within Cadastral zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; Plot 232, Cadastral Zone A07,( 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.

“Justice A.R. Mohammed never granted any temporary asset forfeiture order to the EFCC on December 21, 2012. Rather he directed EFCC to put Sylva on notice and the substantive matter is fixed for January 10, 2013.

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

Source: National Mirror