The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday acknowledged the Supreme Court judgment dismissing his appeal to stop his investigation over allegation of N96 billion fraud by the Rivers State government. The former Rivers State governor, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (A{C), asserted that the Supreme Court judgment has made it clear that he was not on trial, saying he has been vindicated.
Amaechi’s media office in a statement on Friday highlighted: “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 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 is 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 also stated that the Supreme Court judgement on Friday vindicated his administration and empowered the Rives State government to prosecute Amaechi for the indictments. The governor, however, said that only Rivers State leaders will decide if the state government should prosecute Amaechi or not.