EFCC files new Corruption Charges against Timipre Sylva , Others
Opeyemi Oladunjoye
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed new corruption charges against the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The EFCC faulted decision by a Federal High Court judge, which dismissed one of the two charges earlier brought against Sylva by the commission, saying the judgment was premature as the accused persons had not taken any plea before the court.
The Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, revealed in a statement that the 50 counts of new corruption charges have now been filed against Sylva, Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku.
They are accused of using 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Limited to move about N19.2 billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009 and 2012, under false pretence of using the withdrawn money to augment salaries of the state government workers.