A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the consolidated charges against former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva over alleged N19.4 billion fraud.
In his ruling yesterday, Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that the charges constitute an abuse of court process.
Sylva was accused by the EFCC along with Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Ltd, Eat Catering Services Ltd, and Haloween-Blue Construction and Logistics Ltd of alleged fraudulent transactions during his tenure between 2009 and 2012 valued at N19.2 billion.
The EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacob (SAN) had in a letter dated June 5, 2015 informed the court that the prosecution had withdrawn the earlier six counts charge against Sylva before another Abuja Federal High Court to consolidate the charges in the court.
But in a reply defence counsels Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Israel Olorundare (SAN) argued that since the prosecution had withdrawn the charges against Sylva in the other court, there is no more valid case against him in the court.
Justice Mohammed observed that the charges before him is later in time against the withdrawn charges, adding that the action of the prosecution is an attempt to interfere with the pending case before the court.
“By withdrawing the charges in Court 8, the prosecution has shown it is not willing to prosecute this case,” he said.
The EFCC has indicated intention to appeal the ruling.