A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt and presided over by Justice A. T. Mohammed, on Friday, convicted and sentenced George Turnah, a former Special Assistant to the erstwhile Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Dan Abia, to four years’ imprisonment.
Turnah, who was prosecuted by the Port Harcourt’s Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for obtaining money by false pretences, money laundering and abuse of office, was jailed for his failure to make full disclosure of his assets to the anti-graft agency.
This was contained in a statement signed by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, and made available to journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday.
According to the statement, the convict was arraigned alongside his wife, Jennifer, on four amended charges.
One of the charges read, “That you ,George Turnah Alabh, on or about March 15, 2017 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s South-South zonal office, No 6A Olumeni Street, Old GRA, off Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this honourable 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 Nigeria Limited 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.”
Justice Mohammed found him guilty on counts 1 and 3 bordering on non-disclosure of assets, but discharged Jennifer on counts 2 and 4 on the grounds that the amended charge was not served on her properly in line with the law.
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.
Turnah and his wife were first arraigned on May 16, 2018 and re-arraigned on June 18, 2019 by the EFCC on four counts bordering on failure to make full disclosure of assets and they pleaded not guilty.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, I. Agwu, called several witnesses and presented several documents in court.
In his judgment, Justice Mohammed said the prosecution established that the convict did not fully disclose his assets in the asset declaration form he filled with the EFCC.
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