FROM GODWIN TSA, Abuja
There was drama yesterday at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court as former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva frustrated attempts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-arraign him and six others on a 42-count amended charge bordering on fraudulent transactions and money laundering to the tune of N19.2 billon.
The embattled former governor, who was within the court premises, however, took refuge in another court where he had gone earlier to ask for the release of his travelling documents and refused to appear before Justice Ahmed Mohammed for the arraignment.
Immediately after the court presided over by Justice Adamu Bello had adjourned ruling on his application for the release of his international passport, Sylva walked towards the door of another court where he was to be re-arraigned. But before he could enter into the courtroom, his lawyer, Prince Latef Fagbemi, came out and whispered to him and he quickly returned to the other court where he sat with some of his aides and relatives.
But inside the court room, tempers were high as the prosecution counsel, Chief Rotimi Jacobs and Sylva’s counsel, Fagbemi were locked in verbal war to the chagrin of the presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed, who accused them of desecrating the legal profession.
Before then, the defendants had told the court that their clients were not aware of the arraignment, saying hearing notices were not served on them.
For instance, out of the six accused persons, only two, Gbanga Balogun (third accused) and Samuel Ogbuku (fourth accused0 were present in court.
Sylva, Francis Okuburo, Marlin Maritime Limited, Eat Catering Services Limited and Haloween Blue Construction and Logistics Limited were not in court.
They are facing a 42- count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N19.2 billion allegedly committed during the tenure of Sylva between 2009 and 2012.
Trouble started when the prosecuting counsel, Jacobs told the court that Sylva was within the court premises but had refused to show respect to the court by not appearing before it for his arraignment.
Irked by the statement, counsel to Sylva, Fagbemi sprang to his feet and accused Jacobs of not showing respect to him.
“You are rude to me; the fact that you are handling cases for the EFCC does not mean you should not know your senior. You are in a court of law and not at a political rally.”
The Sun