A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, has issued a bench warrant against former Governor of the State and Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, after rejecting his motion on non-service of court processes.
Others included in the bench warrant are the All Progressives Congress, APC’s Governorship candidate in the State, Tonye Cole and a former Commissioner for Energy, Augustine Wokocha.
The Rivers State Government had filed a fresh criminal charge bordering on misappropriation of public funds of about $50m against Amaechi, Wokocha and Cole, after withdrawing its earlier suit.
The trial judge, Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, also issued a bench warrant on Chamberlain Peterside, Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG Powers-HPS Limited, and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited.
When the matter of the alleged sales of the State assets came up for hearing, counsels to the defendants unanimously informed the court of their motion on non-service of court processes, but the presiding judge insisted on issuing the bench warrant.
The trial judge refused to hear the motion by the defendants and thereafter, adjourned the matter to the July 5th, 2023.