EFCC re-arraigns Sylva for N2.45bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re-arraigned a former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, before a Federal High Court in Abuja for fraud involving about N2.45bn.

The accused allegedly committed the offence between October 2009 and February 2010 as governor of Bayelsa State.

He pleaded not guilty to all the six counts when he was re-arraigned before Justice Evoh Chukwu on Monday.


The former governor also has similar charges pending against him before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Sylva had earlier pleaded not guilty to the Monday’s six counts when he was first arraigned for the offences before Justice Adamu Bello (retd) on June 5, 2012.

The matter had to start de novo (afresh) following the retirement of Justice ‎Bello, a development which prompted Sylva’s re-arraignment before Justice Chukwu on Monday.

‎
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who signed the charges, accused Sylva of offences, including conversion of various sums of money belonging to the state with the aim of concealing their illicit origins.

He was also accused of  inducing‎ Union Bank Plc to fraudulently grant him a N2bn overdraft facility under the pretext of using the money to augment workers’ salary.

Credit: The Punch

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