From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has granted bail to the Managing Director, Saipem Nigeria Contracting Limited, Mr. Walter Peviana and Kelechi Sinteh Chinakwe on the sum of N500 million each.
Justice Okogbule Gbasam granted them bail after their counsels had applied for their bail and urged the court to use its discretion and release them to the custody of sureties, yesterday.
The prosecution is the Rivers State government, while the defendants are Saipem SPA,first defendant; Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited,second defendant; Mr. Walter Peviana,third defendant; Kelechi Sinteh Chinakwe,fourth defendant; Giandomenico Zingali,fifth defendant; Vitto Testaguzza,sixth defendant and Davide Anelli,seventh defendant in Suit No. PHC/3106/CR/2021.
On January 11, Justice Gbasam had remanded Peviana and Chinakwe in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre over an alleged conspiracy to cheat and with intent to defraud the government of Rivers State of the sum of $130 million, being advanced payment for the construction of the OCGT power plant in Port Harcourt.
However, the matter came up yesterday for plea as previously scheduled by the court.
The plea of the defendants were taken on 15-count-charge and they pleaded not guilty. Their counsels moved for applications for bail.
But, counsel for the government of Rivers State, Godwin Obla(SAN), opposed the application for bail, but left a window for the judge to exercise his discretion.
He said the total sum of money involved in the case was too much, which showed that the matter was a serious case, and should be enough reason to deny the accused persons bail.
Meanwhile, the trial judge in his ruling mentioned other bail conditions to be met by the accused, which included two sureties, who must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
Also, the court said one of the sureties for the third defendant (Peviana) must be of the managerial position with the second defendant (Saipem Nigeria Contracting Limited).
Similarly, the court ordered that Peviana and Chinakwe must deposit their international passports and other travelling documents with the court.