The former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva was granted bail on Thursday after having spent two days in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC .

Sylva has been docked by the Nigerian anti-graft body for masterminding the unlawful diversion of funds from the Bayelsa state coffer while in office.

Following this development, the EFCC had on Tuesday leveled a six-count charge against the former governor. These bother on conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence contrary to section 1(1) (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004, as well as section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004.

When the case was resumed yesterday for further hearing, the presiding Judge Justice Bello asked the former governor to produce someone who is resident in Abuja to stand in for him as the surety, instructing that the person must own a landed property worth the said bail sum and must be resident in the FCT.

Justice Bello also held back all travelling documents of the ex-governor, including his international passport with a stringent warning that on no account must he fly out of the country. This action became necessary following the earlier fear of the EFCC that Sylva may decide to leave the country any time.

It was warned that any attempt to breach the order given by the court will automatically lead to the withdrawal of the bail grant.

According to Justice Bello “I am persuaded by the submission of the learned Senior Advocate as well as the contents of the affidavit in support of the bail application and hereby exercise the discretion of the court in favour of the applicant.

“He is hereby granted bail in the sum of N100 million and ordered to produce one surety in like sum. The surety must be resident in Abuja and must be an owner of a landed property worth the bail sum. The title document of the property must be deposited to the court registrar for verification before the release of the applicant from custody.”

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