Court Issues Bench Warrant Against Amaechi, Tonye Cole

A High Court in Rivers State has taken a decisive step by issuing a bench warrant against Rotimi Amaechi, the former governor of the state, and Tonye Cole, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), within the state.

The presiding Judge, Chinwendu Nwogu, also issued bench warrants against Sahara Energy Resources Limited, Chamberlain Peterside, NG Powers HPS Limited, and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited, as they failed to appear before the court in relation to the criminal charges brought against them by Rivers State Government.

The judge, expressing concerns over the absence of the accused parties, adjourned the case until July 5 to allow them an opportunity to enter their pleas.

The Rivers State Government had initiated a new lawsuit accusing Rotimi Amaechi of misappropriation of public funds during his tenure as the state governor from 2007 to 2015. This legal action is the latest in a series of investigations and inquiries into the former governor's financial activities while in office.

In 2022, Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State, established a seven-man panel tasked with probing Amaechi's alleged withdrawal of N96 billion from the state treasury during his time as governor.

The panel's mandate also encompassed the investigation of potential irregularities surrounding the sale of valuable assets, including the Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the monorail project contract.

The panel concluded its investigation and submitted its report in 2015. Throughout the process, Rotimi Amaechi consistently maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in fraudulent activities.

However, on May 27, 2022, the Supreme Court dismissed an application by Amaechi, challenging the legality of the probe. In response, Governor Wike authorized criminal charges against the former governor and Sahara Energy, a company allegedly implicated in the dubious transactions. Notably, Tonye Cole, the governorship candidate of the APC, co-founded Sahara Energy.

The bench warrant issued by the high court against Amaechi, Cole, and the implicated companies serves as a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings. The Rivers State Government aims to ensure accountability and transparency in governance, as it continues its pursuit of justice in this case.