Appeal Court sets aside warrant of arrest against Amaechi, others

A Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt has set aside a warrant of arrest issued by a Rivers State High Court in a criminal suit by the Rivers State Government against a former Governor of the state, Rotimi Amaechi and five others.

Justice Chiwendu Nwogu had on the 17th of May, 2023 issued a warrant of arrest against Amaechi, Patrick Tonye-Cole, the Rivers State Governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress, APC in the just concluded 2023 election, former Commissioner for Energy, Augustine Wokocha and three others which was challenged at the Appeal Court.

A three-man panel led by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, in a unanimous ruling on the application, said the Rivers State High Court was wrong to have proceeded in the matter when the process was already been challenged at the Appellate Court.

News reports that the three-man panel of the Appeal Court also set aside the warrant of arrest order issued against Amaechi and five others and faulted the process of effecting service on the defendants.

One of the counsels to Amaechi and other defendants, Achinike Williams, said the ruling of the Appeal Court on the suit, “has put a stop to the illegality of the Rivers State Government under former Governor Nyesom Wike.”