George
Uboh, the serial fraudster who sensationally accused the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission of diverting proceeds of recovered assets
was today convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment by Justice
S. E. Aladetoyinbo of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja,
for his role in converting the property of the defunct Police Equipment
Foundation to his own use.
Uboh
was arraigned by the EFCC on a three count charge bordered on Criminal
Breach of Trust involving the sale of PEF vehicles. He allegedly abused
his position as former Head of Security and Communication Department,
Police Equipment Foundation, PEF, to convert the properties of the
foundation to his personal use.
The charge reads:
“That
you, George Uboh, sometime in 2007 in Abuja, the judicial division of
the high court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a servant in the
employment of the Police Equipment Foundation, and in such capacity
entrusted with certain property, to wit: six units of operational
vehicles, did commit criminal breach of trust by selling one Toyota
Hilux pick-up van through one Egbon Blessing, and thereby committed an
offence punishable under Section 314 of the penal code
“That
you, George Uboh, sometime in 2007 in Abuja, the judicial division of
the high court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a servant in the
employment of the Police Equipment Foundation, and in such capacity
entrusted with certain property, to wit: six units of operational
vehicles, did commit criminal breach of trust by selling one Toyota
Hilux pick-up vans to Muha Motors, and thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 314 of the penal code.
“That
you, George Uboh, sometime in 2007 in Abuja, the judicial division of
the high court of the Federal Capital Territory, being a servant in the
employment of the Police Equipment Foundation, and in such capacity
entrusted with certain property, to wit: six units of operational
vehicles, did commit criminal breach of trust by selling two units of
Toyota Hilux pick-up vans, and therefore committed an offence punishable
under Section 314 of the penal code.”
He
had pleaded not guilty, thus setting the stage for full tial during
which the prosecution called several witnesses to prove its case.
Uboh
claimed that the former National Coordinator, PEF, Kenny Martins, gave
him some PEF vehicles to offset the debt owned him by the Foundation.
However,
during cross-examination, he admitted that he did not have any evidence
of transfer of ownership of the vehicles from PEF. “I know the vehicles
belong to PEF. But it was to offset the debt owed me. The Hilux pickup
vans are four and not five,” Uboh said.
With
his conviction today, Uboh who runs a company called Panic Alert
Security System (PASS), completes a double as a certified fraudster
having previously been convicted of wire fraud in the United States.
He
was prosecuted after US law enforcement agents carried out a major raid
on a credit card and bank fraud ring led by Uboh in Georgia in 1992. He
came out of jail on January 16, 2001. Fifteen years after, he is back
in jail.
However, Justice Aladetoyinbo gave Uboh an option of N 4 million fine.
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