Absence of co-accused persons stalls Sylva’s arraignment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission instituted the 50 counts of fraud charges against the accused persons following an order by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same Federal High Court in Abuja on June 10 dismissing N19.2bn fraud charges earlier instituted against Sylva and other accused persons.

Nine days before Justice Mohammed’s ruling, the EFCC had withdrawn six counts of N2.45bn fraud charges instituted against the former governor as the sole defendant.

The other accused persons in the fresh suit are Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, Samuel Ogbuku, Marlin Maritime Ltd., Eat Catering Services Ltd. and Haloween-Blue Construction Logistics.

Balogun, who is said to be the Managing Director of Marlin Maritime Services Ltd., was absent from court on Thursday.

The accused persons allegedly committed the offences while Sylva, who was present in court on Thursday, was the governor of Bayelsa State.

Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), also said the addresses of Eat Catering Services Ltd. and Halloween-Blue Construction and Logistics in Port Harcourt could not be located.

The two firms were not represented by any lawyer or their directors on Thursday because they had not been served with the charges instituted against them.

The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, on Thursday adjourned till July 9 to enable the EFCC to sort out the issues of service of the charges.

Meanwhile, one of the accused persons, Ogbuku, had filed a preliminary objection against the charges, asking the court to dismiss the charges.

He said he was the 4th accused person in the case dismissed by Justice Mohammed on June 10, insisting that the facts of   both the old and the new cases were the same.

He argued that the fresh suit was filed intentionally to embarrass him.