Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Rotimi Amaechi declares the Supreme Court judgment, in dismissing his appeal to stop his probe over an alleged N96 billion fraud, has acquitted him. The Supreme Court in dismissing his appeal had pronounced that the function of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mere investigative, that nobody, neither Amaechi nor anyone else, was on trial before the panel. Amaechi in a statement by his media office said the pronouncement further freed his stance that the investigation by the commission ought not to be portrayed as personal to him because he was not on trial. The divulgence read, “Nigeria’s apex court today ruled on the Appeal filed by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi against the Rivers State Government on the Justice Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
“The Supreme Court in dismissing the Appeal however pronounced that the function of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mere investigative, that nobody, neither Amaechi nor anyone else, was on trial before the panel.
“The Supreme Court ruling clearly vindicates the former Governor of Rivers State. The apex court was categorical and clear that Amaechi was not on trial. The implication of this is that any indictment from the Commission is null and void and cannot stand.
“With this judgment, Amaechi has been vindicated and cleared him of all purported or alleged indictment by the Governor Wike’s Commission. It has been further settled that the decisions/recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry and subsequent White Paper issued by the State Government are not a conviction or indictment and cannot stand.
“From the onset, it was obvious to any discerning mind that the Commission was set up to embarrass, denigrate and humiliate Amaechi. The apex court judgment today, further buttressed this stance. A Commission purportedly set up to investigate past financial transactions was actually a Commission to personally witch-hunt Amaechi.”
Governor Nyesom Wike had constituted a 7-man investigative panel to probe Amaechi‘s eight-year tenure as governor of the state. Wike asked the commission headed by Justice George Omekeji to look into how N96billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was expended. He also said that the panel would 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 a mono-rail project.
