A High Court sitting in Rivers state on Tuesday remanded the Managing Director of Saipem Contracting, Mr Walter Peviana and Kelechi Chinakwe in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
The order was over an alleged conspiracy to cheat and with intent to defraud the Rivers State Government of $130m, said to be an advanced payment for the construction of the OCGT power plant in Port Harcourt.
The presiding judge, Justice Okogbule Gbasam, also issued a bench warrant to the state Commissioner of Police to arrest three expatriate staff members of the company, including Davide Anelli, Giandomenico Zingali, and Vitto Testaguzza.
At the resumed hearing, the lead counsel to the Rivers State Government, Chief Godwin Obla, SAN, relying on Section 195 of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015prayed that those absent be tried in absentia since they have been duly served court processes.
However, the lead counsel to four of the defendants, Odein Ajumogobia, SAN, in opposition, said though court processes have been served on his clients, the sixth defendant was absent in court on health grounds.
Justice Gbasam ordered that the duo, Peviana and Chinakwe, be remanded at the Port Harcourt Correctional Service until January 18.
