Army Court imprisons General and mandates return of the stolen N3 billion

Maj.-Gen. Umaru Mohammed, a former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Nigerian Army Special Court Martial on Tuesday in Abuja.

The court also mandated that the senior official who was found guilty return N1.06 billion in stolen funds and 2.17 million dollars to the company’s coffers.

Maj.-Gen. James Myam, the court’s president, announced the verdict and noted that the officer had been found guilty on 14 out of the 18 counts that had been presented against him.

According to Myam, the punishment was based on both section 174 of the Armed Forces Act cap 20 Laws, 2004, and the provisions of the Criminal Code Act chapter C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He said that the defence attorney’s mitigation argument was given careful attention before the decision was reached.

The confirming authority must confirm each of the penalties handed down by this special court martial before they begin to run concurrently.

He said, “The court is hereby adjourned sine die,” and added, “This sentence is dated this day, the 10th of October 2023.

According to Myam, Mohammed was found guilty on count one, which involves stealing, and will serve five years in prison while also paying $1.04 million back to NAPL.

The officer was also found guilty on count two by the court and given a five-year prison term as well as an additional $400,800 in restitution to NAPL.

Mohammed received a five-year prison term on count three and was ordered to pay back $85,400, while count four also resulted in a five-year prison term and a $35,300 repayment requirement.

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On count five, the former NAPL boss was given a five-year prison term and ordered to reimburse the NAPL for $55,500.

Count six was also punishable by five years in prison and a $46,500 debt.

However, the court cleared him of the charge in count 7 and exonerated him; however, the court sentenced him to seven years in jail on count 8, while the additional offences he was found guilty of carried sentences of five and two years.

Invoking Section 157 of the Armed Forces Act, the defence attorney, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), asked the court to transfer his client to a correctional centre rather than a military detention facility, but the court rejected his request.

Ojo further requested that the sentence begin on the day the court issued its ruling.

Ojo stated that he will speak with his client before deciding whether to appeal the verdict.

“We must follow his direction to appeal if he so directs us, the decision is his,” he continued. “If he tells us tomorrow or after the confirmation that he is not satisfied with the findings and punishment, then we must carry out his instruction to do so. (NAN)