THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, refused to grant the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking to seize 48 property allegedly belonging to former governor of Bayelsa State, Timpriye Sylva, on ground that the request amounted to an abuse of court process.

It will be recalled that the anti-graft agency had, in December vide an originating summons applied exparte for a temporary order of forfeiture of the said 48 property, but Justice A. R. Mohammed, instead, while granting the commission leave to sustain the action, ordered that the commission put Sylva on notice.

After taking arguments of counsel to the EFCC, John Anaeto and Sylva’s counsel, Benson Ibezim, the court reserved its decision till July 11.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Mohammed held that it ran totally against the court process for the commission to bring about an action before him, which is related to a charge before a sister court for which the former governor was standing trial.

The EFCC had brought a criminal action against Sylva at Court 3 of the same court presided over by Justice Adamu Bello, however, the commission further proceeded with a civil action before in Court 7, where it sought to takeover the same property it listed in the charge preferred against the former governor in the criminal case.

Justice Mohammed held “it would appear that EFCC is instituting a multiplicity of suit against the accused. This court cannot allow any process that amount to an abuse and it is hereby dismissed.”

On January 4, when it was reported that EFCC had obtained an order of forfeiture of 48 property belonging to the former governor, he quickly responded via a statement to clarify the position through his media adviser, Mr Doifie Ola, who said the Abuja High Court never granted any temporary asset forfeiture order to the EFCC, a claim which has been vindicated by the verdict of Justice Mohammed.

In the said statement, Ola said of the said 48 property, only three belong to his boss and noted that the said three were acquired by the former governor long before he became governor of Bayelsa State.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/en/news/item/16495-court-refuses-efcc%E2%80%99s-request-to-seize-sylva%E2%80%99s-property.html

http://www.emmanuelbabatunde.com/2013/07/court-refuses-efccs-request-to-seize.html

Hmmmmm

EFCC legal team always like to shoot themselves in the foot.

please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

A Governor with 48 properties,I envy politicians,easy way of becmng wealthy is politic.

ZURYZEST: no long thing, let them do as they like
hehhehehehehehehheheh
sipping my Alomo things

I see a future politician wu wuldn't care abt anytin bt looting.

Hmmm naija and too much wahala! May God save this country.

Judiciary has become the bane of Nigerian progress...what the hell is their problem , aiding criminals...bullsh.it

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

Ha.........Where are you from? Na Fatai. Ode jatijati

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

Are u high?

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

Why are most of the Justice in Nigeria, are all from the North

I swear if u folo 9ja poliitics keenly,u wil jst run mad.i hope i live 2 c whhr all 9jirians wud live in unity n love.whr dey wud b no more corruption..i criously hope i live 2 c it...or is it 2 much 2 hope again...or i cud sing dat song dat otedolla's daughter sang(i luvv 9ja i no go lie)n mean evry bit of it.evn peter griffin wud do a beta job if he were 2 rule dis nation

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

Wetin u shak dis mornin?

dat'z good jare why this one take affect the price of regal me still dey shark my regal jare omo this regal tonk no be small

dat'z good jare HOW this one take affect the price of regal me still dey shark my regal jare omo this regal tonk no be small

Until EFCC starts giving account of those properties and assets they have seized over the past few years, they should not be allowed to seize anymore, because that is even worst corruption than who they are being accused of corruption

Politics; the easiest way to become rich in Nigeria! 48 properties? Holy Moses!

chinchek:

no, efcc isn't a man but is shim

PDPvsAPC: Someone should blame GEJ

abi Ooooooooo. Yes jona is d caused hahahahahahahahaha

In other news,
Graduates With Fake NYSC Call-up Letters Sentenced

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

Well asked. What is EFCC, is it one of Jonathan's advisers or part of the SURE-P?
Is EFCC the man fighting in Rivers State House of Assembly?

This EFCC must be a famous ghost.

in the same manner ribadu seized and sold to his family and friends and then ran away from justice and accountability at the end of his tenure.
it was this same jonathan that granted ribadu the same presidential deceitful pardon.
why are u seizing these funds and properties when u are not going to account for them?
if i may ask, how has all the loots recovered from the abachas affected positively the lives of nigerians?
abeg, sylva is only suffering personal matters with jonathan and that is his crime because if his crime is about looting public funds, every public office holder in nigeria is involved.
selective justice is the problem of nigeria.

christ4mi: Why are most of the Justice in Nigeria, are all from the North

They dominate the military, oil & gas sector, agriculture, judiciary, most of the MDA's (ministries, departments and agencies),.......

otokx: EFCC legal team always like to shoot themselves in the foot.

Nigerian lawyers in general, only a few know what they are doing. The Nigerian law schools need to be reviewed.
our lawyers hardly know the right suit to file or even how to go about it.
but if it is to write a summon notice or letter of settlement for 20k all of them go begin chook eye, complete learnerd disgrace.

how can a lawyer advise a client to allow him file a crimminal case against his debtor, when the debtor has agreed to his debt, went a step further to put a standing order on his account in lieu of the said transaction?

another thing is that EFCC may be using cheap, half baked charge and bail lawyers, little wonder they have no conviction in years.
imagine madonna offering law with no single prof in a whole faculty.
all na lawyers wey go represent EFCC in the future.

law is now monkey buisness i tell ya.

bbpreye.:
please what is EFCC?
is she a man?

I know say your kidney dey leg. Anu'pama

jp philips:


Nigerian lawyers in general, only a few know what they are doing. The Nigerian law schools need to be reviewed.
our lawyers hardly know the right suit to file or even how to go about it.
but if it is to write a summon notice or letter of settlement for 20k all of them go begin chook eye, complete learnerd disgrace.

how can a lawyer advise a client to allow him file a crimminal case against his debtor, when the debtor has agreed to his debt, went a step further to put a standing order on his account in lieu of the said transaction?

another thing is that EFCC may be using cheap, half baked charge and bail lawyers, little wonder they have no conviction in years.
imagine madonna offering law with no single prof in a whole faculty.
all na lawyers wey go represent EFCC in the future.

law is now monkey buisness i tell ya.

I rily like ur points bt d last paragraph jst set me off

jp philips:


Nigerian lawyers in general, only a few know what they are doing. The Nigerian law schools need to be reviewed.
our lawyers hardly know the right suit to file or even how to go about it.
but if it is to write a summon notice or letter of settlement for 20k all of them go begin chook eye, complete learnerd disgrace.

how can a lawyer advise a client to allow him file a crimminal case against his debtor, when the debtor has agreed to his debt, went a step further to put a standing order on his account in lieu of the said transaction?

another thing is that EFCC may be using cheap, half baked charge and bail lawyers, little wonder they have no conviction in years.
imagine madonna offering law with no single prof in a whole faculty.
all na lawyers wey go represent EFCC in the future.

law is now monkey buisness i tell ya.

faulty generalization my man....and if you know the caliber of lawyers efcc has you wont be saying all this....moreover what is wrong in what they did....?they made an application and the court rejected it simpliciter..so whats the big deal...it is said that you cant know the strength of a law till you test it in the law court...so we learn everyday...as per your personal experience with that lawyer,it is still a personal experience and as such shud not be attributed to most lawyers

I WONDER WHY NIGERIAN COURTS ARE ALWAYS IN A HURRY TO CONTRADICT EVERY EFFORT AND ACTIONS OF EFCC TO BRING CORRUPT POLITICIANS TO BOOK