A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently convicted and sentenced George Turnah, a former Special Adviser to the previous Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dan Abia.
Political godson Turnah was given a six-year prison term for fraud together with two others, including former President Goodluck Jonathan’s son.
Along with Turnah, two others have been given their sentences: Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Chidebere.
Justice A. T. Mohammed, the presiding judge, also found them guilty of forgery, conversion of funds, and laundering illicitly obtained money.
Their actions were illegal under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006, and they faced penalties under Section 1(3).
They were first arraigned in May 2017 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and again on January 25, 2021.
Twenty-three charges of acquiring by false pretense, money laundering, and abuse of office to the tune of N2,894,500,000 were filed against them.
On Monday, EFCC’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren verified the report.
A statement released by Uwujaren said, “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…”
The statement claims that they are “not guilty” of the charges.
