Nigerian Army Major General Sentenced To Prison For Stealing

A former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Major General Umar Mohammed, has been sentenced to prison.

A Nigerian Army Special Court-martial sitting in Abuja found the former top officer guilty of stealing some funds belonging to the organisation.

Naija News had reported earlier how charges were brought against the General pertaining to stealing, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorised diversion of Army property, among others.

The special court said Mohammed was found guilty of 14 out of 18 charges against him, which include theft and other violations that are contrary to service laws.

One of the charges on which General Mohammed was found guilty alleges that he received $1.045,400 from shipping companies for the use of the Nigerian Army Jetty located at no 6 Marina, Victoria Island, Lagos. He was also found guilty of stealing $430.800 that was paid into the Nigerian Army Domiciliary account at Unity Bank, Abuja, for the use of the Nigerian Army Jetty, Marina, Lagos. The court martial also found him guilty of withdrawing and confiscating N74 million out of N75 million paid for a property belonging to the Nigerian Army at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The accused had earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges pressed against him.

However, at the resumed sitting on Tuesday (today), 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 of 14 out of 18 charges.

Myam stated 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 panel provided an explanation that the prosecution counsels had summoned 24 witnesses, whereas the defendant had called upon two witnesses.

Subsequently, in its judgement, the panel ordered that the convicted senior officer be sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for certain offences, while others carried sentences of 7 and 2 years, respectively.

Furthermore, while clarifying that the sentences would be served concurrently, the court also directed the defendant to reimburse certain funds into the account of NAPL.

Myam clarified that these sentences were subject to the confirmation of the “confirming authority”.

Prior to his sentencing, Mohammed had been held in the detention facility of the Nigerian at Mogadishu cantonment, Abuja for a period exceeding 2 years.