Justice Chiwendu Wogu of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an order that the former Rivers State governor, Chibuike Amaechi, the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, and the former commissioner for power, Augustine Wokocha be served through a substituted means in a fresh criminal lawsuit instituted against them by the Rivers State government.
Justice Wogu gave the order after the lead lawyer to the Rivers State government, Den Wigwe told the court that they could not serve the defendants due to the inability of the Sheriff to locate their addresses.
Wigwe, however, asked the court to grant the prosecution an order to serve the defendant through substituted means.
The judge ruled that the defendants should be served on the Nation and Guardian newspapers.
The defendants are accused of misappropriation of public funds and fraudulent sale of state assets between 2007 and 2015 when Amaechi was governor.
The matter was adjourned until 2 February 2023.
