News

N96bn fraud: Supreme Court dismisses Amaechi’s appeal against probe

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal by former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, against the decision by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to set up a panel to probe the latter’s eight-year tenure as governor of the state.

Amaechi, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the governor of Rivers State between 2007 and 2015.

Governor Wike had constituted a seven-man probe panel to probe some transactions estimated at about N96billion carried out by Rivers State Government under Amaechi, adding that the ex-governor’s administration fraudulently sold some assets belonging to the state.

The listed 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 Mono Rail Project.

The immediate past Minister of Transportation, however, challenged the constitution of the panel at the High Court, arguing among others, that the planned probe was intended to witch-hunt and humiliate him.

READ ALSO: 2023: I’m more experienced than Osinbajo, Tinubu, others ― Amaechi

Amaechi’s suit was dismissed by the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

He equally lost at the Court of Appeal prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.

However, the apex court, on Friday, held that Amaechi’s appeal lacked merit.

The Supreme Court also fined the former two-term governor of Rivers State N1 million just as it ordered Amaechi to face the probe panel set up by the state government to investigate his eight-year tenure as governor.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

EFCC summons suspended Edo LG chairmen

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited the suspended chairmen of the 18…

2 hours ago

N110bn fraud: Court grants Yahaya Bello N500m bail

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday, December 19, 2024, granted  former Kogi…

4 hours ago

Dangote refinery reduces petrol price to N899/litre

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the price of its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known…

5 hours ago

Drama as govt officials storm tribunal to recover vehicle conveying lawyers

There was a mild drama in Benin, the Edo State capital, as members of the…

7 hours ago

PDP expels Vice Chairman Ali Odefa over anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party in Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State…

8 hours ago

NAFDAC shuts 150 shops, destroys N5bn fake products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 150…

8 hours ago

This website uses cookies.