The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday, convicted and sentenced a former Special Assistant to Dan Abia, erstwhile Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Goerge Turnah, to four years’ imprisonment.
According to a press statement by the spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wilson Uwujaren, the trial judge, A.T Mohammed, jailed Turnah on counts 1 and 3 for failure to make full disclosure of his assets in his disclosure to the anti-graft agency.
“Turnah was sentenced to two years each on counts 1 and 3 for failure to make full disclosure of assets contrary to section 27 (1) & (3)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004 and punishable under Section 273)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004,” the statement said.
Turnah was prosecuted by the EFCC, between 2017 and 2022 for obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering and abuse of office.
He was, thereafter, arraigned together with his wife, Jennifer Turnah, on May 16, 2018, and re-arraigned on June 18, 2019, by the EFCC on a four-count amended charge.
Both of them entered “not guilty” pleas to the allegations.
However, prosecution counsel, I. Agwu, called several witnesses and presented several documents in court during the trial.
In his judgment, the trial judge said the prosecution established that the convict did not fully disclose his assets in the asset declaration form he filled out at the EFCC.
In addition, the court discovered that he was one of the Directors and majority shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd.
One of the count charges read: “That you George Turnah Alabh on or about 15th March 2017 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South/South Zonal Office, No, 6A Olumeni Street, Old GRA Off Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly failed to make full disclosure of your assets to wit: your interest in one of the Director and majority shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd in the Asset Declaration Form you filled at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) & (3)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004.
Count three read: “That you George Turnah Alabh on or about 15th March 2017 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South/South Zonal Office, No, 6A Olumeni Street, Old GRA Off Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt within the Jurisdiction off this Honorable Court failed to furnish information of your interest as one of the Directors and major shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd in the Asset Declaration Form you filled at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) & (3)(a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004.”
