Tobi Adebayo
The Rivers State Government has filed a nine-count charge against former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi and others over alleged fraud.
The charge sheet was signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Attorney-General of Rivers State, C.F. Amadi.
In the suit marked PHC/1818/CR/2022 and filed on June 7, the co-defendants listed include; Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Tonye Cole; Dr. Chamberlain Peterside; Sir Augustine Wokocha; Sahara Energy Resources Limited; NG Power-HpS Limited and Cenpropsaroten Management Limited.
ThisNigeria reported that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had directed the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to commence prosecution of Amaechi and Tonye Cole.
The charges read; “That the 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 $274,563,599.59.
“The money was a proceed from the sale of 70 per cent equity held by the Rivers State Government in the power generation asset at Omoku Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine and Afam Gas Turbine Phase 1 to NG Powers-HPS Limited.
“The defendants within the same period stole the same amount of money being proceeds from the sale of 70 per cent equity belonging to her in the power generation assets at Omoku, Trans-Amadi, Eleme and Afam Gas turbines.
“Sahara Energy Resources Limited, NG-Powers-HPS Limited within the same period with intent to cheat, agreed to buy from Rivers Government 70 per cent equity held by the state in the power generation assets in the four turbines in the sum of $302,960,000.
“The companies took possession, management and control of said power generation assets upon payment of the initial sum of $274,563,599.59USD, but refused to pay the outstanding balance of $28,400,000 due to the state.
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“The defendants within 2011 and 2012 conspired by fraudulent means to affect the market price of the four power generation assets of Rivers.
“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.
“Amaechi, Sahara Energy, Cenpropsaroten Hotel Management Limited and Cole within the same period did conspire 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 Limited (subsidiary of Sahara Energy) and 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.
“The defendants conspired among themselves to commit felony by stealing $1million being concession fee the defending companies paid to the Rivers State Government for the concession of the Olympia Hotel for a period of 40 years.
“Amaechi and Sahara Energy about December 1, 2014 conspired among themselves to commit felony by stealing the sum of $53,095,602.05 from Rivers Government dollar account number 0064809429 with Access Bank, Bank Road Branch, Port Harcourt.”
