Amaechi may face prosecution after EFCC starts investigating petition against him

FORMER Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi faces the prospect of being prosecuted for corruption after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) commenced a detailed investigation into dealings during his tenure.

 

Upon assuming office, current Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike set up a judicial commission of inquiry to begin investigating the administration of his predecessor Amaechi. This five-member judicial commission of inquiry, which had 23 terms of reference, has Hon Justice George Omereji as its chairman and Dr Edith Chukwu, Chief Monday Ekekenta, Ven Alex Usifo and Elder Ignatius Piegbara as members.

 

Since then, Governor Amaechi has been the subject of intense criticism by the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), who has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to prosecute him to prove his ongoing war against corruption is genuine. On July 29, a Port Harcourt organisation called the Integrity Group wrote to the EFCC, detailing three instances of alleged corruption, graft and abuse of office under Governor Amaechi.

 

In the petition, the group alleged that Rivers State electric power projects were sold and the proceeds converted to other uses through payments amounting to N60bn to three companies all located at Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt. The petitioners alleged that the transfers, made in US dollars, occurred within a space of one week between December 1 and 8, 2014.

In addition, the Integrity Group also alleged that the proposed Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt was a failed contract, which cost the state a whooping N4.63bn in what the petitioners described as questionable circumstances. In the third allegation in their petition to the EFCC, the group stated that Governor Amaechi appointed a firm of tax consultants, which was given a relatively exorbitant fee of 12% of taxes collected on a much lower monthly collection target of N2.5bn, even as the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service was raking in about N7.5bn monthly at 5% as prescribed by law.

 

The consultants were said to have collected over N1.5bn in fees within weeks of their being engaged by Governor Amaechi’s government. Responding to the petition, the EFCC swung into a detailed probe of Governor Amaechi’s dealings as alleged by the petitioners and wrote to the relevant ministries in Rivers State demanding more information.

 

One of the EFCC letters to the permanent secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Finance, read in part: “The commission is investigating a case of conspiracy, abuse of office and fraud. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to furnish the following: details of all the assets sold to the NG Power-HPS Limited, the total amount received and the account it was paid into."

 

In respect of the Karibi Whyte Specialist Hospital, the EFCC also requested the permanent secretary to furnish it with necessary details. With regards to the tax consultancy allegation, the EFCC asked the state accountant-general to supply receipts and bank transfer details.