Alleged N96bn Fraud: Supreme Court To Decide On Amaechi’s Probe May 27

The Supreme Court will on May 27, 2022, decide whether it would order a stoppage of the probe of Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on fraud allegations by the Rivers State Government.

This followed the decision of the apex court to deliver its judgment in the suit filed by Amaechi, seeking to stop his probe in the alleged N96 billion fraud and alleged fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to Rivers State.

A seven-man panel of Justices of the court, led by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, yesterday announced that judgment was fixed for the said date after listening to arguments of lawyers for and against the suit.

Amaechi, who is the immediate past governor of Rivers State, is praying the apex court to prohibit current Governor, Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as governor of the state.

His lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, predicated his opposition to the probe on the grounds that it was aimed at witch-hunting and embarrassing him, to embarrass him in view of his political differences with his successor.

Wike, who constituted a 7-man probe panel to probe Amaechi, was, however, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss Amaechi’s suit.

The governor, represented by Emmanuel Ukala, insisted that the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omekeji was to look into how N96 billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was expended.

Wike also said the commission of inquiry was to look into the lawful or otherwise, sales of valuable assets of the state.

The listed valuable assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of monorail project.

Amaechi’s suit at the High Court of Rivers State and Court of Appeal had earlier been dismissed prompting his case at the Supreme Court.