Court Strikes Out Fraud Charge Against Ex-Bayelsa Governor Timipre Silva

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, Politics Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015

By Abdul Gafar Bello – Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva appeared off the hook of the alleged N2.45bn fraud charge, against him and in which he was recently re-arraigned, as the Prosecutors Monday, withdrew the case from the court.

At Monday hearing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. M.S Diri, through his Lawyer, Mr. O.J Nnadi, sought for the withdrawal of the suit, before Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The case had earlier been withdrawn from the former prosecuting counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo, late last month, after which it was transferred to DPP.

Indication to the withdrawal of the suit, emerged when Mr. Diri failed to appear in the court, when the case was called. Instead, he issued a fiat to his Counsel, Mr. Nnadi (SAN), to continue with the case.

Mr. Nnadi, told Justice Chukwu that the EFCC had instructed him to withdraw the suit, thereby prayed the court to strike out the case.

He specified further that he received instruction from the anti-graft body, EFCC Counsel, Mr. J.O. Ojogbane that the charge be withdrawn.

Ironically, Ojogbane, expressed shock over the claim by Nnadi on behalf of other Lawyers, on the purported EFCC resolve to back out from the case.

Former Governor Sylva’s lawyer, Mr. Israel Olorundare (SAN), concurred with the prayer for withdrawal by the DPP.

Consequently, he sought the court to order that the case be struck out as well as release of his client’s international passport which had been withdrawn from him, since 2012 when the case started.

Justice Chukwu admitted the prayers as he held that the Attorney-General of the Federation possessed the power under the constitution of the country, to designate power to issue a fiat as witnessed in the suit.

He subsequently ordered the release of the defendant’s passport as sought by his Counsel.