EFCC Consolidates Charges against Sylva, Quizzes Nyako

 In a move to consolidate all the charges against former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) monday withdrew the six-count charge of fraud before Justice E. S. Chukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

  The commission also quizzed the former Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, for over six hours in Abuja over money laundering.
The withdrawal of the charges against Sylva, according to the EFCC, is to allow it consolidate the charges against the former governor, pending before two Federal High Courts in Abuja.

In the charge, which was withdrawn yesterday, Sylva is being prosecuted for allegedly converting N2billion worth of properties and resources belonging to Bayelsa State between 2009 and 2010, during his tenure as governor of the state.

The former governor also has similar charges, a 42-count charge, pending against him before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In the charge, the former governor along with Francis Okokwo, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku, allegedly conspired and used three companies – Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Limited to move about N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009 and 2012, under false pretence of using the withdrawn money to augment salaries of the state government workers.

At yesterday’s sitting, O. J Nnadi (SAN), representing the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. Muhammed Diri, prayed the court to withdraw the charges against the accused.

Nnadi, however did not clearly state the conditions upon which the application for withdrawal was being sought.
But counsel to EFCC, J.A Ojogbane, told the court that there had been preliminary arguments in respect of a similar case before Justice Mohammed which, according to him, necessitated the application to withdraw the case at hand.

In his response, Sylva’s counsel, O.1.Oloundare (SAN), prayed the court to dismiss the charge, since the prosecution had sought to withdraw it.

He also pleaded with the court to order the EFCC to release the international passport of his client.
After listening to the submissions of both counsel, Justice Chukwu discharged the accused and ordered the EFCC to release his international passport.

On Nyako, THISDAY checks revealed that the former governor, who returned to the country on Saturday following the swearing-in of President Muhammadu Buhari to office, reported at the headquarters of the EFCC by 10a.m.

Nyako was one of the five former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).  But an operative at the commission who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said operatives of EFCC commenced interrogation of the governor almost immediately.

The source said the operatives were still grilling the former governor as of the time of filing this report around 6p.m.
“The former governor Nyako, is with our operatives now. You know that he was declared wanted and operatives have been in his trail since then.

“He was not arrested, he reported at the commission around 10a.m. Operatives have since commenced action and he is being interrogated as at now (4.44 p.m.). He came back to the country on Saturday and reported to the commission,” he said.  The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed yesterday that Nyako was at the commission same day.
“All I can say is that Nyako, is with the commission,” he said.

The EFCC spokesman did not say anything further on the on-going interrogation of the governor. It was further gathered that while the EFCC was grilling the former governor, some of his political associates and indigenes of Adamawa were waiting to host him to a reception organised in his honour.

The source stated that the people were still waiting at the reception ground in Yola, the state capital, while operatives were grilling the former governor on alleged misappropriation of funds.
The EFCC had declared Nyako wanted in January after he failed to honour many invitations from the commission after his removal from office by the state House of Assembly.

Prior to the interrogation of Nyako, operatives of the commission arrested his son, Abdula-Aziz, in Gombe on February 14.
Both Nyako and his son were declared wanted for money laundering related offences in January.

Uwujaren had said then that the governor’s son was interrogated in relation with how N15 billion belonging to the state government was laundered through five accounts of companies belonging to him.

The companies, according to Uwujaren, are Blue Opal Nigeria limited, Crust Energy Nigeria Limited, Blue Ribbon Multilinks Limited, Tower Assets Management Limited and Blue Ribbon Bureau De Change.

However, after fleeing the country following his impeachment in July 2014, Nyako who was among five governors finally returned to the country last Saturday.

His return is however seen as show of confidence he has in this government that the current administration may  likely not go after him considering his support to the party’s victory particularly in his state.