Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is in more trouble as the Rivers State government has finally slammed a nine-count charge of stealing, cheating and conspiracy on him.
In a suit marked PHC/CR/2022, filed on the 7th of June, the Nyesom Wike led Rivers State also listed the Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, Sir Augustine Wokocha, Dr Chamberlin Peterside, Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG Power-HPS Limited and Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management as the former governor’s co-defendants.
According to the statement in the charge sheet signed by C.F. Amadi, the Director of Public Prosecution for the Attorney-General of Rivers State, in count one, the state said Amaechi and his co-defendants “sometime between 2011 and 2012 at Port Harcourt within the Port Harcourt Division of the High Court of Rivers State did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to stealing the sum of $274,563,599.59USD”.
The document said the money was a proceed from the sale of 70% equity held by the Rivers State Government in the power generation asset at Omoku Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine and Afam Gas Turbine Phase 1to NG Power-HPS Limited.
In Count two, the state alleged that Amaechi and his co-defendants within the same period “stole the same amount of money being proceeds from the sale of 70% equity belonging to her in the power generation assets at Omoku, Trans-Amadi, Eleme and Afam Gas turbines.
The state in count three said Sahara Resources Limited, NG Powers-HPS Limited within the same period with intent to cheat agreed to purchase from Rivers State Government 70% equity held by the state in the power generation assets in the four turbines in the sum of $302,960,000USD.
The state said the companies actually took possession, management and control of the said power generation assets upon payment of the initial sum of $274,563,599.59USD, but refused to pay the outstanding balance of $28,400,000USD due to the state.
In the count four, the state alleged that Amaechi and his co-defendants within 2011 and 2012 conspired by fraudulent means to affect the market price of the four power generation assets of Rivers State.
She said the defendants offered the assets for sale exclusively to Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG Power-HPS Limited (subsidiary of Sahara Energy Resources Limited) and Tonye Cole (Director) instead of by means of open competitive bidding prescribed under section 52 (3) of Rivers State public procurement law number 4 of 2008.
The state further in count five alleged that Amaechi, Sahara Energy, Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management and Cole within the same period “did conspired by fraudulent means to affect the market price of Olympia Hotel, Port Harcourt by offering the said Olympia Hotel, Port Harcourt for concession exclusively to Sahara Energy Resources Limited and Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management (subsidiary of Sahara Energy Resources Limited) and Tonye Cole (Director) instead of by means of open competitive bidding prescribed under section 60 (1) of Rivers State Public Private Participation in Infrastructure Development Law number 5 of 2009.
Rivers also in count six accused Amaechi, Sahara Energy, Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management and Cole of conspired among themselves to commit felony by stealing $1million being concession fee the defending companies paid to Rivers State Government for the concession of Olympia Hotel for a period of 40 years.
The state in count eight alleged that Amaechi and Sahara Energy about December 1, 2014 conspired among themselves to commit felony by stealing the sum of $53,095,602.05USD from Rivers State USD account number 006489429 with Access Bank, Bank road Branch, Port Harcourt.
The offence were said to be contrary to section 421, 422, 516A and 383 of the Criminal Code Law, Law of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.
