supreme court judgement vindicates Amaechi

By: Mark Obuenem Onyinwo

 Amaechi has been vindicated and cleared of all purported or alleged indictment by the Governor Wike’s Commission

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the appeal filed by a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, against the decision by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to set up a commission of inquiry to probe some transactions during his tenure as the state’s governor.

The apex court in its judgment by a five-member panel led by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, while dismissing the appeal marked: SC/911/2017, held that the assignment of the commission of inquiry was not to investigate Amaechi in person, and as such it was not about his person.

In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Emmanuel Agim, but read by Justice Adamu Jauro, the court said:,”The gist of this decision is to the effect that the commission of inquiry was to investigate some transactions, hence no one was on trial, hence the issue of denial of fair hearing therefore, does not arise.”

The judgment awarded N1million as cost against the appellant.

Amaechi, while reacting to the judgment, said the pronouncement further vindicated his stance that the investigation by the commission ought not to be portrayed as personal to him because he was not on trial.

His position was contained in a statement by his Media Office.

The statement reads, “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.

 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.