The former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva has recovered 48 properties that were previously seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Governor Sylva’s properties were seized during the former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration which made the EFCC take ownership of the residences in 2013.
The properties are located mainly in affluent areas of Abuja such as Maitaima and Wuse II. Rentage of those houses range between N2.5million to N6 million per annum.
Sylva took the case against the EFCC describing the seizure as an attack and claimed he did not 48 properties in the world.
He was charged with N19.2 billion fraud and also accused of stealing funds from the state between 2007 and 2011.
The EFCC arraigned the embattled Governor before three Federal High Courts I’m Abuja and slammed him with 50 charges to which the courts struck out the case accusing the EFCC of abuse of court process.
On the last ruling in November 2015, the Justice of the Federal High Court, Adeniyi Ademola held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the criminal charges against Sylva.
Ademola inferred that Sylva’s case was one of persecution by people who wanted to get at him at all cost, using the EFCC.
The Judge, thereafter dismissed the case against Sylvia. However, there is no confirmation yet if the anti-graft agency had filed an appeal before the appellate court.