Rivers State Government has withdrawn charges against the two pilots of Caverton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, who were accused of contravening the executive order of Governor Nyesom Wike to check the spread of coronavirus in the state.
Chief Magistrate D.D. Ihua-Maduenyi of a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt had in mid-April granted bail to the pilots after they were charged on four counts of disobedience to lawful order.
The state government, however, represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, withdrew the charges on Tuesday.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, also confirmed this in a statement.
“The Rivers State Government has withdrawn and discontinued the two separate charges (PMC/532C/2020 and PMC/533C/2020) preferred against the two pilots of Caverton Helicopters Ltd and the 10 passengers on board before the Port Harcourt Chief Magistrates’ Court.
“Consequently, the presiding Chief Magistrate, D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi Esq; has struck out the two charges and discharged all the defendants,” the statement read.
Rivers State Government had in late April unsealed the offices of Caverton Helicopters initially closed for same reason.
The offices were opened following an apology from the firm.
