A legal matter which holds the potential to
embarrass the incoming administration of
Muhammadu Buhari resumes today at the
Federal High Court, Abuja, involving a former
governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva. He is accused of stealing N19.2billion from the state
treasury while he was the governor between 2007
and 2011. Former Gov. Timipre Sylva Sylva, a bitter political opponent of President
Goodluck Jonathan, is co-chairman of the
Presidential Inauguration Planning Committee with
the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Senator Pius Anyim. The former Bayelsa chief executive was docked by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) alongside others in July 2014, for allegedly
using three companies to siphon funds from the
state treasury between 2009 and 2012. The companies are Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat
Catering Services Limited, and Haloween- Blue
Construction and Logistics Limited. But Sylva, who mounted the dock with one of his
alleged accomplices, Gbenga Balogun, could not
enter his plea at that time due to the absence of two
other co-accused personss: Francis Okokuro and
Samuel Ogbuku. Consequently, the prosecuting counsel, Mr.
Adegbite Adeniyi, urged the court to issue a bench
warrant against them. That application was vehemently opposed by
Sylva’s lawyer, Isreal Olorundare, who insisted that
the court must first determine the competence of
his motion challenging the 42-count criminal
charge preferred against his client by the EFCC, as
well as the legal standing of the lead prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, to handle the matter. Presiding, Justice A Y Mohammed ordered that a
criminal summon should be issued against the
absentee accused persons. “As far as this court is concerned, there is a charge
brought against the accused persons and they are
expected to be in court at all times. There is no such
position of the law known to this court that an
accused person who is challenging the process
before the court or jurisdiction should not appear in court”. It is unclear how Mr. Sylva will harmonize his high-
profile image and responsibilities with the
presidential inauguration team in one side of Abuja
with his trial for fraud in court in another; or how
his legal troubles will impact on the image of the
incoming administration.
http://saharareporters.com/2015/04/27/n192bn-fraud-former-governor-sylva’s-trial-resumes-tomorrow

Let the game begin.

This is the way we need to go.

Buhari would soon tell us Timipre has no case to answer just as he said Abacha was never corrupt.

Buhari the anti corruption man, I laugh in Cantonese....kiikikikikikiki!!!

Sylva should be charge n sentence to prison for a very long time, he left Bayelsa in shambles for the period of time he stayed in office then ran to apc to contest for senate which he knew quite well that he'll fail. He's now eyeing the governor's seat under the platform of apc. Thunder fire u dia. .

okokobioko !!!

Please Mr sylva return their money quickly.......is allowed. We don't need corrupt people in the incoming govt........ But wait oooo na only me dey tink say dis sylva case wey dey come up now.... na to tarnish his image n dat of GMB for appointing him to head d transition committee frm his side.

With this news, I can boldly declare that, 'this HOUSE (APC) has fallen'

For the past few weeks all i have been reading about Nigeria and its politicians has been, looting, $20b, this billion that hundred million naira, GOD am so sick and tired of hearing about all this money while our people are suffering everyday.

this same man was appointed by buhari to co-chair his transition commitee...oh wat a pity,so this is d change buhari wants nigerians to accept.

baybeeboi:

www.informationng.com/2013/12/money-laundering-efcc-re-arraigns-ex-bayelsa-governor-sylva.html

In as much as am nt supportn Sylva yet there is something fishy here..... why is d case coming up now after he has bn appointed by GMB to head d transition committee. The case has bn there since 2013, na now dia eye open com rmemba say Dem gt case wt Sylva?. Any way I support efcc sha Bt dey are always doin their job with impunity......Efcc when is Stella Odua's case comin up?

starboy86:
Sylva should be charge n sentence to prison for a very long time, he left Bayelsa in shambles for the period of time he stayed in office then ran to apc to contest for senate which he knew quite well that he'll fail. He's now eyeing the governor's seat under the platform of apc. Thunder fire u dia. .

Really? What of Gej who almost suck bayelsa' treasury dry and PEJ for money laundering during dia tym as governor n first lady?

Mogidi:


Buhari would soon tell us Timipre has no case to answer just as he said Abacha was never corrupt.

Buhari the anti corruption man, I laugh in Cantonese....kiikikikikikiki!!!

Jst as GEJ cleared petroleum minister of corruption despite d chanting of Nigerians for her sack......FFK ministry of aviation loot (his case is pending with efcc) yet GEJ appointed him as campaign media director, Abba morro=immigration scam ( 1000 frm each applicant). With GMB am sure corruption must be thrown to rot in jail, there would be no breathing space for them, civil servants must must go to work on time.