COVID-19: Court remands two Carveton Helicopters pilot’s for flouting Gov. Wike’s restriction order

….Caverton appeals to FG to prevail on Wike to release its detained pilots

Two Pilots are now cooling their heels at the Nigeria Correctional Service facility in Port Harcourt, for flouting the restriction order of Governor Nyesom Wike.

The two pilots of Carveton Helicopters; Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, were remanded by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

The Court presided over by Chief Magistrate D.D Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the two pilots at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre till May 19, 2020, when their trial will commence.

Chief Magistrate Ihua-Maduenyi ruled that COVID-19 tests be carried out on the two pilots ascertain their status.

The pilots, who were arrested by the Rivers State Police Command, were arraigned by the State Police Command via charge number: PMC/532C/2020.

Prosecution Counsel and Officer-in-charge, Legal of the Rivers State Police Command, Superintendent of Police, Gladys Amadi told the court that the acts of the two pilots were capable of putting the entire State in danger of contracting coronavirus.

She urged the court to remand them in prison custody to enable the police conclude its investigation. She noted that allowing the accused persons roam the streets will endanger others in the state.

According to her, remanding the pilots will also stop them from further violating the Executive Order.

The Honourable Attorney General of Rivers State, Professor Zacheus Adango was also in court.

The Pilots are facing a four-count charge bordering on disobedience to lawful order.

The Charge reads, “That you Samuel Ugorji (m), Samuel Buhari (m) and others now at large as pilot and co-pilot of Twin-Otter, Carveton Helicopters on the 7th day of April 2020 at the Air Force Base, Port Harcourt in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit misdemeanour to wit: disobedience to lawful order and thereby committed an offence under section 517A of the criminal code CAP 37, Vol 11 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you Samuel Ugorji (m), Samuel Buhari (m) and others now at large on the same date and place at the aforesaid magisterial District did intentionally disobey the lawful order issued by the Governor of Rivers State as contained in paragraph 8 of the Executive Order RVSG -01 2020 made pursuant to Sections 2, 4, and 8 of Quarantine Act Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Regulation 11 of the Quarantine (Coronavirus (COVID-19 ) and other infectious diseases) regulations, 2020 by flying the Twin-Otter Caverton Helicopters into Air Force Base, Port Harcourt and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act Cap Q2 LFN, 2004.

“That you Samuel Ugorji (m), Samuel Buhari (m) and others now at large on the same date and place at the aforesaid magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by flying and discharging passengers from the Twin-Otter helicopter at the Air Force Base, Port Harcourt and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249 (d) of the criminal code laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

“That you Samuel Ugorji (m), Samuel Buhari (m) and others now at large on the same date and place at the aforesaid magisterial District did intentionally disobey the lawful order issued by the Governor of Rivers State on restriction of movement and flights within the State contrary to paragraph 8 of the Executive Order RVSG -01 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 203 of the criminal code laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.”

Governor Wike had vowed to drop his immunity to testify against Caverton and the Pilots in Court who he said must provide the manifest of their passengers for contact tracing of COVID-19.

MEANWHILE, The Management of Caverton Helicopters yesterday appealed to the federal government to prevail on the Governor of River State, Mr Nyesom Wike to release its pilots who have been remanded at the Port Harcourt prison. The governor accused the pilots of flying expatriates into River State without involving the state government in the testing and approval of the coronavirus status of the expatriates.

In a statement yesterday night by Caverton management, the company said:

“ At the start of the COVID -19 lockdown, we received a letter from our client stating that they have been given approval/ exemption to fly and continue operations. We (Caverton along with three other companies) also received approval from the Minister of Aviation to fly only essential services, mainly in the Oil and Gas industry”.

“ Lastly, we got another approval from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to fly for this same oil and gas sector. We have been flying along with these guidelines for the past seven days”.

“Today, we were informed that the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike was coming to address the operators in Port Harcourt and our people waited. But on arriving, the governor directed two of our pilots to be taken to CID where they were told to write statements”.

“Despite all pleas by our lawyers who showed all the relevant documents, they were taken to the magistrate court and charged. At the court, our lawyers also presented all the documentations approving us to fly by the federal government but the case was closed and the pilots have been remanded in Port Harcourt prison till the 19th May.”

“We appeal to the federal government to urge the Rivers State government to release our pilots who violated no law and are being unduly punished for reasons we still do not understand,” the statement said.

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