Sylva’s 48 properties siezed by EFCC over fraud

48 choice properties belonging to the former Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva was yesterday seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Timpreye, who is being prosecuted at a Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged misappropriation of N6.46 billion state funds when he was governor of the state has condemned the action saying  the rule of law must be respected.

Some of the properties seized are:

1.      A mansion at 3 River Niger Street, plot 3192 Cadastral zone AO, Maitama District Abuja;

2.     nine units (comprising six one bedroom and 3 two bedroom apartments) at 8 Sefadu Street Wuse zone 2, plot 262 Cadastral zone AO2, Wuse Abuja;

3.     2 units duplexes at 5 Oguta Street, plot 906 Cadastral zone Wuse 11 Abuja.

4.     a duplex at Plot 1271 Nike Street Cadastral zone AO5, Maitama District Abuja;

5.      a duplex at Phase 1 Unit No. 1 (Villa 1) Palm Springs Gold Estate, Cachez Turkey Projects Limited, Mpape, Abuja;

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6. 10 units of one-room apartments at 8 Mistrata Street plot 232 Cadastral zone Wuse 11 Abuja;

 7. 5 units duplexes at Plot No 1070 Dakibiyu District Cadastral zone B10, Abuja;

8. 16 units service apartments at Plot 1181 Thaba Tseka Crescent, Off IBB Way, Wuse 11, Abuja

9. 3 units of three- bedroom flats at No. 1 Mubi Close, Plot 766. Cadastral Zone A01, Garki, Abuja.

10. Sylva was first arraigned on Tuesday June 5, 2012. Justice A. R Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja ordered the forfeiture of the properties. He read the charges at a federal high court sitting.

The charge reads: “That you, Timpre Sylva, as Governor of Bayelsa State, with others now at large, sometime 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 property and resources amounting to N2 billion 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 January 22, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N380 million property of the 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 February 5, 2010, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, converted the sum of N50 million, 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 substantive suit has been adjourned to January 10, 2013, for trial.