On Friday, Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, convicted and sentenced George Turnah, a godson of former President Goodluck Jonathan, to four years in prison.
Turnah was previously a Special Assistant to Mr. Dan Abia, the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
Turnah, who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Port Harcourt Zonal Command between 2017 and 2022 for obtaining money by false pretences, money laundering, and abuse of office, was jailed for failing to make full disclosure of his assets in his disclosure to the EFCC.
He was arraigned, together with his wife, Jennifer Tinipre Turnah, on four-count amended charges, a statement by Wilson Uwajaren, EFCC’s spokesperson said on Friday.
One of the count charges reads: “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 reads, “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.”
Justice Mohammed found him guilty on counts 1 & 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 Alabh was sentenced to two years each on counts 1 & 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 Alabh and his wife, Jennifer were first arraigned on May 16, 2018, and re-arraigned on June 18, 2019, by the EFCC on four count charges bordering on failure to make full disclosure of assets and they pleaded “not guilty”.
During the trial, I. Agwu, the prosecution’s counsel, called several witnesses and presented several documents in court.
According to Justice Mohammed’s decision, the prosecution established that the convict failed to fully disclose his assets in the Asset Declaration form he completed at the EFCC. The court discovered, contrary to his declaration, that he was one of the Directors and the majority shareholder of Ashford Consult and Events Nig. Ltd.