Supreme Court Orders Rotimi Amaechi To Face Probe Over Sale Of N96B Rivers Assets
The Supreme Court on Friday, May 27, 2022 ordered former governor of Rivers State, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to go and face the Commission of Inquiry set up by the Rivers State Government to investigate his 8-year tenure as the chief executive of the State.
With the ruling of the Supreme Court on the matter, Amaechi, who is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has lost his legal battle seeking to stop his probe of N96B fraud and alleged fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to Rivers State.
The Supreme Court in a judgment delivered on Friday dismissed Amaechi’s appeal urging the apex Court to stop his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike, from investigating his 8-year tenure as governor of Rivers State.
While delivering the lead judgement in the Amaechi’s suit, Justice Adamu Jauro held that it lacked merit, ought to be dismissed, and accordingly dismissed.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the judgments of the High Court of Rivers State and that of the Court of Appeal both of which dismissed Amaechi’s suit for want of substance and merit.
The Supreme Court thereafter slammed N1M fine against Amaechi.
With the ruling of the Supreme Court, Amaechi will now be made to appear before the Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omekeji to give account of how N96B was allegedly withdrawn from the Treasury of the Rivers State government and how it was expended.
The Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by Governor Wike is empowered to look into the lawful or otherwise of the alleged sales of valuable assets of the state which include, the Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel and the award of contract for the execution of Mono Rail Project.
