The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, convicted and sentenced on Friday a former special assistant to Dan Abia, former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), George Turnah, to four years in prison .
According to a press release from the spokesman for the Commission of Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren, the trial judge, AT Mohammed, jailed Mr. Turnah on counts 1 and 3 for failing to make a full disclosure of his assets in his disclosure to the anti-corruption agency.
“Alabh was sentenced to two years each on Counts 1 and 3 for failing to make a full disclosure of assets in contravention of section 27 (1) and (3) (a) of the Offenses Commission Establishment Act Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004 and punishable under Section 273(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004,” the statement said.
Mr. Turnah was prosecuted by the EFCC between 2017 and 2022 for obtaining money by fraud, money laundering and abuse of power.
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He was subsequently indicted along with his wife, Jennifer Turnah, on May 16, 2018, and was re-indicted by the EFCC on June 18, 2019 on a four-count amended charge.
Both have pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
However, the attorney for the prosecution, I. Agwu, called several witnesses and submitted various documents to the court during the trial.
In his ruling, the trial judge said the prosecution established that the convict did not fully disclose his assets on the asset declaration form he filled out at the EFCC.
Furthermore, the court found that he was one of the directors and majority shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Limited.
Charges
One of the charges in the recount read: “That you George Turnah Alabh on or about March 15, 2017 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South/South Zone Office, No, 6A Olumeni Street, Old GRA Off Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly failed to make a full disclosure of his assets, namely: his interest in one of the Director and majority shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd on the Asset Declaration Form which you completed at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 27 (1) and (3) (a) of the Commission Establishment Act of Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004.
Charge three read: “That you, George Turnah Alabh, on or about March 15, 2017 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, South/South Zone Office, No. 6A Olumeni Street, Old GRA Off Forces Avenue , Port Harcourt within the Jurisdiction of this Hon. The court did not provide information of interest to you as one of the directors and main shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd on the Asset Declaration Form which you completed at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 27 (1) and (3) (a) of the Commission Establishment Act Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act 2004.”