The Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 22, 2021, re-arraigned George Turnah, a former Special Adviser to Dan Abia, erstwhile managing director of Niger Delta Commission (NDDC) and two others alongside nine companies, before Justice Mohammed Turaki of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The defendants were re-arraigned on amended 23 count charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering and abuse of office to the tune of N2,894,500,000.
A statement by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicly, Wilson Uwujaren, named the co-defendants with Turnah as Ebis Orubebe and Uzorgor Silas Chidiebere.
They were arraigned alongside El-Godams Global Services Ltd., Turnoil and Gas Nigeria Ltd., Kolo Creek Petroleum Development Ltd., Celtic Pride Consult and Events Ltd., Yenagoa Mall Ltd., the Incorporated Trustees of Concerned Niger Delta Initiative., Akara Boro Marine Services Ltd., Sugarland Integrated Farms Nig. Ltd and Geohan Telecommunications Nig. Ltd.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them. The prosecution counsel, I. Agwu, adopted the subsisting evidence on record, praying the court that “We shall not be calling any other witness or any other prosecution witness who earlier testified before this court”.
Defence counsel, Professor Amuda Kaneke, SAN, prayed that the bail granted the defendants be maintained. He also prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the amended charge and further proceed with his defence.
The prayers were not opposed by the prosecution.
Justice Turaki granted that the defendants continue in their existing bail and adjourned the matter till March 15, 16 and 17, 2021 for continuation of trial.
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