Sophia Michaels
A Nigerian Army Special Court-martial sitting in Abuja has sentenced, Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, to seven years imprisonment for stealing the sum of $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion belonging to the Nigerian Army Property Limited (NAPL).
The court gave the sentence on Tuesday, October 10.
Mohammed is the former Group Managing Director, Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
Mohammed was sentenced after the court found him guilty of 14 count charges out of 18 count charges brought before the court, bordering on forgery, misappropriation of funds, and conspiracy among others.
The accused had, however, earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against him.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday where the judgment was given, the eight-man panel led by Maj.-Gen. James Myam stated that the convicted senior military officer was found guilty in 14 out of 18 charges.
Myam said that count one was brought under section 383(1) of the Criminal Code Act Cap c38 law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and punishable under section 390 (7), adding the charge was also brought pursuant to section 114 of the armed forces Act Cap A20 2004.
The charges and sentence are:
Count 1: Stealing 5 years imprisonment, and to return a total sum of 1,045,400.000 dollars to NA
Count 2: Stealing 5 years imprisonment. 480,000 dollars to NA
Count 3: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and relying on secti0 85,400 dollars to NA
Count 4: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and returning the sum of 35,300 dollars only to NA Properties
Count 5: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and to return the sum of 55,500 dollars to NA Pr
Count 6: Stealing and is sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and 174 of the Armed Forces Act cap 8 120 shall pay 46,500 dollars only to NA
Count 7 Criminal conspiracy to commit forgery (Not Guilty) Discharged and acquitted of
Court 8: Forgery (Guilty) sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.
Count 9: Offence is theft and is guilty and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.. The special court-martial relying on 174 Ordered 430,800 dollars to NAPL.
Count 10: Conspiracy to forge document (Not Guilty) discharged and acquitted on count 10
Count 11: Forgery (Not Guilty) discharged and acquitted
Count 12: Conduct prejudice on discipline and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment.
Count 13: Theft sentenced to 5 years imprisonment shall pay 74,000,000 naira only
Count 14: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty. And sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and ordered 590,000,000 naira to NCC NAPIl
Count 15: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and rely on 174 AFN. 255,000,000/to NCC NAPIL
Count 16: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and the special count 174. Pay 559,172,000 naira to NCC
Count 17: Criminal misappropriation and he is found not guilty of count 17
Count18: Criminal misappropriation and the accused found Guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and ordered shall pay 172,000,000 naira to FCC NAPL
The panel explained that the prosecution counsels called 24 witnesses, while the defendant called two witnesses.
The panel, thereafter, in its judgment ordered that the convicted senior officer be jailed for 5 years each for some of the offences while some others carried 7 and 2 years respectively.
The court explained that the sentences would run concurrently, and directed that he should refund funds into the account of NAPL.
Myam explained that the sentences were subject to the confirmation of “confirming authority”.
Before the sentence, Mohammed had been in a Military detention facility at Mogadishu cantonment, Abuja where he spent years.
The Defence Counsel, Lekan Ojo (SAN), made an oral application that the convicted senior officer being moved to Kuje Correctional Facility but was denied by the court.
