The criminal charges that the Rivers State Government brought against Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transportation, have been dismissed.
Similar accusations were dropped by the state administration against Tonye Cole, an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor, and five other individuals.
When Amaechi was the state governor, Rivers state filed a criminal complaint against them, accusing them of selling the government's assets worth billions of naira.
Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, the state government's attorney general and commissioner for justice informed the court that he was dropping the lawsuit when the case was reopened for a decision on whether it was legal for a private attorney to pursue the case.
However, the lawyer to the APC, Amaechi and Cole argued that withdrawing the suit was an abuse of the court process and prayed the court dismiss the criminal charges if the suit must be withdrawn.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Okogbule Gbasam, after listening to arguments, struck out the suit and the charges against the APC and others.
One of the lawyers to the defendants, Achinike Wobodo, while speaking to journalists on what transpired in court, said they were ready to face the state government whenever there was a fresh charge against their clients.
Wobodo said, “As it stands today, there is no charge against anybody in any court. We do not intend to pre-empt them whether they want to file any other charge or not.
“Taking one thing at a time, if they bring any other charge, we will also challenge them.
“We have said to Rivers people, these are just antics to paint these gentlemen in a bad light.”