The Rivers Government has filed fresh criminal charge against former Governor of the State Chibuike Amaechi, alongside Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tonye Cole, for allegedly selling off state assets.
This development was confirmed by the Attorney General of the State, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor.
Recall that Governor Nyesom Wike, had set up a seven-man panel to probe his predecessor and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, over the alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state’s treasury during his predecessor’s tenure as governor.
The panel had also investigated issues surrounding the “sale of assets” by the former governor.
The listed assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the contract award for the execution of the Mono Rail Project.
The panel submitted its report in 2015, but Amaechi has since insisted that he is not guilty of fraud.
However, on May 27, 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed an application by Amaechi challenging the probe.
Consequently, Wike had directed the state’s attorney-general to commence immediate prosecution of Amaechi, Cole and five others.
Criminal charges were also filed against Sahara Energy, a firm said to have been indicted in the deals — the firm is co-founded by Cole.
In October 2022, the suit was struck out in Port Harcourt by a State High Court Judge Okogbule Gbasam, after the State Attorney-General applied to withdraw the charge.
