Former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva on Tuesday denied allegations that he is hiding from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the court granted the commission permission to paste the six-count money laundering charges at the front gate of his Abuja residence located within the Maitama District.
This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Doifie Ola, media aide to the ex-governor.
“We wish to clarify that Sylva is not on the run. He is not a fugitive from justice,” the statement reads.
In the statement, Mr Ola said that his boss is “a firm believer in the law and has been at the forefront of efforts to etch respect for law, rules and regulations on the national conscience.”
He said the Mr Sylva “decided to keep a low profile because he does not want his security to be compromised.
“The whole world has been living witness to the brazen disrespect for our laws which those charged with the maintenance of law and order in the land have exhibited since the outbreak of their riotous governorship adventure in Bayelsa State.
“If those we all should rely on for our security could so blatantly run riot on our laws and liberties, it is not hard to determine the extent they can go against the one they have openly declared the target of all their illicit manoeuvres in the state.
The former governor’s spokesman further said that “the suit brought against Sylva by the EFCC involves N2.45 billion Bayelsa State funds, not N6.450 billion as a section of the media has reported.
“This is government money used for government business. Since 2010 when the matter went to court, no evidence has been produced by the prosecution to support the claim of money laundering and other financial crimes against any of the defendants,” he added.
The charges
The EFCC has sued Mr Sylva on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence, contrary to sections 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2004 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
The commission alleged that the ex-governor looted public funds under the guise of using the monies to augment salaries of the Bayelsa State Government, even as it identified three persons whose bank accounts, it said was used as conduit pipes for transfer of the illicit funds.
Names of the said accomplices were given as Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau de Change operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin Bank, Plc, Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 6152030001946, in First Bank, Plc and one John Daukoru with Account No. 04800250000418, in United Bank for Africa Plc.
The charge against Mr Sylva reads: “That you, Timipre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, some time 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 N2,000,000,000.00 (Two billion naira) 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, Timipre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, on or about the 22nd of January, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted N380,000,000 (Three Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Habibu Sani Maigidia, a Bureau de Change operator with Account No. 221433478108, in Fin 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.
“That you, Timipre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, on or about the 5th of February, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira), property of the Bayelsa State Government, through the account of one Enson Benmer Limited with Account No. 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 Court have fixed 8 May 2012 for Mr Sylva to take his plea on the charges.
