On October 26, 2009, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment by a Lagos High Court for contract fraud at the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, who delivered judgment at the Ikeja High Court, found George and five other members of the NPA board guilty on 47 counts of abuse of office, disobedience to lawful order and inflation of contracts.
The court held that the convicts, while serving as board members of the NPA between 2001 and 2003, awarded contracts worth billions of naira without due process and in violation of extant government regulations.
Other convicts are: Arc. Aminu Dabo, Capt. O. Abidoye, Alh. Abdullahi Tafida, Alh. Zanna Maidaribe and Engr. Sule Aliyu.
Justice Oyewole sentenced them to 30 months imprisonment each without an option of fine, saying the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Chief Bode George, who was also the Chairman of the NPA board at the time, had pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
