A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the 50-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC presented against the former governor of Bayelsa State, and All Progressives Congress, APC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Mr. Timipre Sylva.
Trial judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi described the charges as an abuse of the judicial process. He explained that the EFCC had previously sued Sylva before two different judges on the same charges.
He said “To commence this fresh trial in 2015 is a complete abuse of court processes. No court of law will allow the reckless show of power by a prosecuting agency. To allow such will occasion a miscarriage of justice.
“In this circumstance, this court lacks the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the charge against the accused persons. This court hereby dismisses the charge filed against the defendant in the suit. This matter cannot be re-litigated.”
Sylva, Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun and Samuel Ogbuku, was accused of over N19.2 billion from the Bayelsa State treasury between 2009 and 2012.