Rivers Court Issues Bench Warrant on Amaechi, Cole
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, has issued a bench warrant against former Governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the immediate past Minister of Transport, Tonye Cole, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state, in the just concluded general elections, and a former Commissioner for Energy in the state, Augustine Wokocha, for their failure to honour its invitation.
The trial judge, Justice Chiwendu Nwogu, also issued a bench warrant on Chamberlain Peterside, Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG Powers-HPS Limited, and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited.
The Judge issued the bench warrant when it was discovered that the defendants were not in court to take their plea.
Recall that Criminal charges were filed after Governor Nyesom Wike constituted a seven-man panel in 2022 to probe Amaechi over an alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the treasury during his tenure as governor. They investigated the sale of valuable assets such as Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the contract award for the execution of the monorail project.
Though Amaechi has insisted that he is not guilty of fraud, the Supreme Court dismissed his application challenging the probe.
The counsels for the defendants unanimously informed the court of their motion on non-service of court processes, the judge insisted on issuing the bench warrant.
The trial judge refused to hear the motion by the defendants and thereafter, adjourned the matter to the 5th of July, 2023.
