N2.9 billion Fraud: Court Sends Ex-NDDC MD’s Special Adviser George Turnah, Two Others To Six Years Jail
A former Special Adviser to Dan Abia, erstwhile managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission, George Turnah, has bagged six years for obtaining money under false pretence, money laundering, conversion of funds and forgery.
The offence is contrary to Section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Turnah was jailed alongside two others: Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Silas Chidebere, before Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
They were jailed on Thursday, September 7, 2023, having been found guilty of charges preferred against them by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Their journey into the correctional institution began when they were originally arraigned by the EFCC in May, 2017 and re- arraigned on January 25, 2021.
They were arraigned on 23- count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, money laundering and abuse of office to the tune of N2, 894, 500, 000.
Count 6 of the charge reads: “that you, George Turnah Alabh, Uzogor Silas Chidiebere, El-Godams Global Services Ltd., Turnoil and Gas Nigeria Ltd, Kolo Creek Petroleum Dev. Ltd, Celtic Pride Consult and Events Ltd, Yenagoa Mall Ltd, The Incorporated Trustees of Concerned Niger Delta Initiative, Adaka Boro Marine Services Ltd, Sugarland Integrated Farms Nig. Ltd, Geohan Telecommunication Nig. Ltd and others at large, on or about the 24th day of November, 2014, at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the sum of Seven Hundred and Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N708,500,000.00) which you reasonably ought to know that the money was obtained by a false pretence from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) purportedly for the purpose of providing quick win jobs for 300 youths and women groups and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under 15 (3) of the same Act”.
Count 23 of the charge reads: “that you George Turnah Alabh in 2014 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did receive the sum of $1,000,000 (One Million United State Dollars) (at the exchange rate of N184 to a Dollar) cash from one Umar Lawal of Hakuri Global Concept exceeding the statutory limit without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16 (2) (b) of the same Act”.
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel, I. Agwu, called several witnesses and tendered documents to prove the case against the defendants.
The presiding judge therefore convicted and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each, starting from the date of their arrest.
The 1st defendant was ordered to pay N1, 000, 000 only as an option of fine, while the 2nd and 3rd defendants were asked to pay N500,000 into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The 4th, 6th and 10th defendants were ordered to return the sum of N180,000,000. Other restitutions include, N5,000,000, traced to the 1st convict, and N100,000,000 traced to the 6th and 10th convicts.
N50,000,000 was traced to the Optimal Standard. They were to be forfeited to the NDDC.
Others are: N46,760,843.61, N494,371.86, N13,000,000, N23, 500,000 to be forfeited to the NDDC by the 9th, 4th , 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.