EFCC Files Fresh N19.2 Billion Money Laundering Charges Against Sylva, Others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today, June 12, 2015

filed fresh corruption charges against a former governor of Bayelsa State,

Timipre Sylva, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Sylva is charged alongside Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel

Ogbuku,. They allegedly used three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited,

Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and

Logistics Limited to move about N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers

between 2009 and 2012, under false pretence of using the withdrawn money

to augment salaries of the state government workers.

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, with the

excuse that the prosecution's application to consolidate the charges

against the defendants amounted to an abuse of court process.

The Commission faulted the ruling on the ground that it was premature as

the accused persons had not taken any plea before the court.

The action of the trail judge stalled the move by the anti-graft agency to

consolidate the charges against the former governor having, days earlier,

withdrawn similar charges pending before Justice E.S. Chukwu of the same

court.
The anti-graft agency awaits the assignment of the case, to pave way for

the arraignment of Sylva and others.
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