An Abuja High Court has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to tamper with properties belonging to former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Justice M.M. Kolo of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory gave the order on in Motion No FCT/HC/CV/1360/12, which Sylva had filed on 24th December 2012 for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights. He joined Attorney General of the Federation, Chairman of the EFCC, and the EFCC as respondents in the suit.
Specifically, the former governor approached the court for “an interim order of court for the service of the originating process on the respondent to serve as a stay of all actions in respect of the properties — plot no 262, Cadastral Zone A02, Wuse 1, District, Abuja; plot 3192, located within Cadastral Zone A06 Maitama District, Abuja; plot 232, Cadastral Zone A07, (No. 8 Mistrata Street; Wuse II, Abuja) — by the respondents, their agents, privies, representative or any other person deriving his/her authority from them; either by sealing off, confiscating, ejecting any person from the properties, trespassing into the properties or doing any other thing however so described relating to the said properties pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The application was granted as requested.
In an affidavit to support his application, Sylva affirmed that the said properties were acquired before his election as Governor of Bayelsa State, and described as “unconstitutional, oppressive, null and void” EFCC’s attempt to seal or seize properties duly declared in his Assets Declaration Form upon assumption of office in 2007.
According to Sylva’s media adviser, Doifie Ola, few people in the present political dispensation have seen more persecution by state institutions than Chief Timipre Sylva.
“Since leaving office in January 2012 and denied a right to reelection by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mandarins, Sylva has faced persistent state persecution. Even his family, friends and associates have not been spared from molestation and intimidation by the EFCC,” Ola said on Sunday.
“In the name of a corruption prosecution, EFCC is being used to pursue Sylva’s unhappiness, to try to incapacitate him and render him incapable of pursuing a decent living.
“Just on Christmas Eve when the world readied to mark the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to save humanity from wickedness and hypocrisy, EFCC agents perfected a shady plot to seize Sylva’s properties, including his current Abuja residence. The same EFCC had on 10th December 2012 invaded a property where his wife uses as an office, and arrested the manager. And before then, the EFCC had arrested and detained Sylva’s brother-in-law, Mr. Tommy Richie Imoh/”
Ola urged EFCC operatives to “act within the law and not reduce the all-important institution of state to a mere tool for vindictive and political pursuits
