There was a pin-drop silence in the hallowed chambers of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja on Monday, as former national Deputy Chairman of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria, Chief Olabode George, heard jail sentences being passed on him.

 

George and five other accused persons bagged two years sentence each, as their sentences are to run concurrently.

 

They were jailed without an option of fine, for defrauding the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to the tune of N84 billion.

 

Delivering judgment in the celebrated case, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole sentenced George and the others to two years imprisonment each on a seven-count charge and another six months each on a 28-count charge.

 

While the seven-count charge bordered on abuse of office, the 28-count charge was on willful disobedience to lawful authority.

 

Also convicted alongside George were former NPA Managing Director, Aminu Dabo, Olusegun Abidoye, Abdullahi Aminu Tafida, Zanna Maidaribe and Sule Aliyu.

 

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the convicts over financial impropriety involving about N84 billion, disobedience to lawful authority and abuse of office.

 

The prosecution and the defense teams had on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 adopted their final written addresses, as the trial judge promised to communicate judgment date to them.

 

As early as 7 a.m. loyalists of George had bombarded the court premises clad in aso ebi (uniformed native dresses) in anticipation that George, who is a moneybag, would be acquitted.

 

The supporters, mostly society women, danced relentlessly to drumbeats and flute sounds, of hired musicians.

 

But as a crest-fallen George stood up in the dock, listening to the bombshells of his conviction, the music stopped outside the courtroom.

 

It will be recalled that George’s supporters had been attending all proceedings since the riveting trial began, sometimes clashing with security operatives.

 

George and the others had engaged the services of prominent lawyers who included Joe Gadzama, Tunji Ayanlaja, Dele Adesina – all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), and several junior lawyers.

 

Mr. Mohammed Hassan had served as the EFCC counsel, commencing the case before the commission engaged the legal services of Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo.

Several witnesses were called during the trial, which suffered many delays either due to power outage or an excuse from the counsel requesting adjournment based on technicalities.

 

The accused persons first appeared before the state High Court on a 163-count charge on Aug. 9, 2008.

 

According to the charges, George and were alleged to have, among others, conspired about June 6, 2003 to inflate the contract price for the rehabilitation of accidented Kalmar Container Handler from 215,555.52 Euro to 269,965.71 Euro.

 

They also allegedly inflated contract awarded to Dateks Ltd for the replacement and installation of six 11KVA High Tension Panels with accessories at Sub-station C, Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, from 310,500.40 Euro to 345,925.00 Euro.

 

George was once a military governor in Ondo State under the General Ibrahim Babangida-junta. While on transfer out of the state, he was being asked by journalists of what he would like to be remembered for. A sprightly George replied: ‘That, a Lagos Boy once passed through this state.’

 

Though he is a native of Lagos, the ascription ‘Lagos Boy,’ in Nigeria is an appellation for a tricky, sharp and dishonest person.

 

So, on Monday, the ‘Lagos Boy’ was marched into the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons to begin a new sojourn of life as a prisoner.