N96bn probe: I’ve been vindicated, says Amaechi on Supreme Court Judgment

Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, says he has been vindicated by the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement on the panel Governor Nyesom Wike set to probe him.

Wike had set up a seven-man panel to probe Amaechi’s 8-year tenure as governor of Rivers.

Amaechi  had said the Justice Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry was aimed at witch-hunting him, embarrassing him, humiliating him, and to as well disgrace him in view of his political differences with his successor.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the Appeal, saying the function of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mere investigative, that nobody, neither Amaechi nor anyone else, was on trial before the panel.

Reacting in a statement, Amaechi’s media office said, “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 him 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.”