Ex-special adviser at NDDC bags two-year jail term for N2.9billion fraud

A former Special Adviser to Dan Abia, erstwhile managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), George Turnah, has been sentenced to two years improvement for N2.9 billion fraud.

Turnah was sentenced alongside two others, Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Silas Chidebere, who each also got two-year jail terms.

Justice A. T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State convicted and sentenced the trio 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.

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).

The defendants were originally arraigned by the EFCC in May, 2017 and re-arraigned on January 25, 2021, on 23-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, money laundering and abuse of office to the tune of N2,894,500,000.

After their charges were read, the defendants pleaded not guilty.

Prosecution counsel, I. Agwu, called several witnesses and tendered documents to prove the case against the defendants.

Justice Mohammed convicted and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each, starting from the date of their arrest.

The first defendant was ordered to pay N1,000,000 as an option of fine while the second and third defendants are to pay N500,000 into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.