Court Grants Saipem MD, Peviana, Chinakwe N500m Bail Over $130m Fraud Case

A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Monday granted bail of N500 million each to the Managing Director of Saipem Nigeria Contracting Limited, Mr Walter Peviana and Kelechi Sinteh Chinakwe.

Presiding Judge, Justice Okogbule Gbasam granted them bail in proceedings that lasted for several hours after their counsels had applied for their bail and urged the court to use its discretion and release them to the custody of sureties, yesterday.

Rivers State Government is the prosecution in the case, while the defendants are: Saipem SPA (first defendant), Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited (second defendant), Mr Walter Peviana (third defendant), Kelechi Sinteh Chinakwe (fourth defendant), Giandomenico Zingali (fifth defendant), Vitto Testaguzza (sixth defendant) and Davide Anelli (seventh defendant), in Suit No. PHC/3106/CR/2021.

The accused persons were on January 11, 2022, remanded Peviana and Chinakwe in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre by Justice Gbasam over an alleged conspiracy to cheat and with intent to defraud the Government of Rivers State of the sum of $130 million, being advanced payment for the construction of the OCGT Power Plant in Port Harcourt.

However, at the scheduled hearing, Tuesday the defendants pleaded not guilty to the 15-count-charge preferred against the by the prosecution even as their counsels moved for applications for bail.

But, counsel for the Government of Rivers State, Godwin Obla, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) opposed the bail application stressing that the total sum of the money involved in the case was too much.

He argued that the huge sun involved showed that the matter is a serious case, and should be enough reason to deny the accused person bail.

Meanwhile, the trial judge in his ruling mentioned other bail conditions to be met, which included two sureties, who must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

Also, the court specifically mentioned that one of the sureties for the third defendant (Peviana) must be of the managerial position with the second defendant (Saipem Nigeria Contracting Limited).

Similarly, the court ordered that the third and fourth defendants (Peviana and Chinakwe) respectively, must deposit their international passports and other travelling documents to the court.

The case was adjourned till February 2, 3 and 4 for hearing on a day-by-day basis.

Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom on the bail conditions, counsel for the first, second, third and sixth defendants, Odein Ajumagobia, a SAN, said bail was at the discretion of the court.

He said: “We made an appeal that the court should issue conditions that are not too onerous. I think the court was gracious enough to give conditions that are difficult. But, we would try to see how we can meet those conditions.

“At least, N500 million is not a small amount of money for the two defendants. But, at least, the challenge now is to meet those conditions for bail, so that they can come out of custody. That is our next priority.”