George Turnah, a former Special Adviser to Dan Abia, the erstwhile Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), along with two accomplices, Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Chidebere, has been sentenced to six years in prison by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The trio was found guilty of obtaining money under false pretenses and other financial crimes, including money laundering and forgery.
The charges against them, which were initially brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in May 2017 and re-arraigned on January 25, 2021, involved a sum of N2,894,500,000. The funds were allegedly misappropriated for purposes contrary to the law.
Justice A. T. Mohammed, the presiding judge, handed down the verdict on Thursday, September 7, 2023. In addition to their prison sentences, the defendants were also ordered to pay fines and make restitution. George Turnah was fined N1,000,000, while Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Chidebere were fined N500,000 each. Furthermore, various amounts of money traced to the defendants were ordered to be forfeited to the NDDC.
This case holds significance as George Turnah was known as the political godson of former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
