Five men accused of helping to conceal the whereabouts of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendants—Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha, and Ayebaifie Suobite—appeared in court on Wednesday on a two-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the prosecution, the suspects allegedly became “accessories after the fact of felony” by concealing the whereabouts of Sylva, whom the authorities described as a fugitive of the law. The alleged offence was said to have occurred on or about April 28 in Abuja.
The five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read before Justice Peter Lifu.
Following their plea, counsel to the DSS, E.G. Orubor, asked the court to fix a trial date, saying the prosecution was prepared to present evidence to support the allegations against the defendants.
Defence lawyers, however, urged the court to grant their clients bail pending trial. Justice Lifu approved the applications and admitted each defendant to ₦5 million bail with two sureties.
The court ruled that the sureties must be residents of Abuja and provide valid tax clearance certificates before the bail conditions can be perfected.
Background to the Case
The latest arraignment follows an earlier case in April, when the Federal Government charged six suspects with allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu in an alleged coup attempt.
Those defendants include Muhammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general; Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain; Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector; Zekeri Umoru; Bukar Kashim Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani. They pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Although Timipre Sylva was mentioned in the charge sheet filed in that case, he was not listed as one of the defendants. Prosecutors alleged that the former minister conspired with the accused persons in the alleged plot to remove President Tinubu from office.
The current case centres on allegations that the five newly arraigned suspects helped conceal Sylva after the alleged offences.
