... Found Guilty of 14 Out 18 Counts Charge
Former Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Major General Umar Mohammed is sentenced to 7 years imprisonment (reoccurrent) by Nigerian army Court Martial after pleading guilty Major Generally to Stealing, Forgery, Conspiracy and Misappropriation of Funds.
Umar Mohammed, an army Major General who eventually became one of Nigeria's richest military officers, has received a 7-year jail sentence after admitting fraud of nearly $2.7million, and N1.6Bn respectively
The Court Martial trials are lawfully provided in the Armed Forces Act (AFA) as one of the disciplinary tools in the Armed Forces.
The Army Court Martial led by Major General James 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 under section 114 of the armed forces Act Cap A20 2004.
The panel explained that the prosecution counsels called 24 witnesses, while the defendant called two witnesses.
The panel, thereafter, in its judgement 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.
While explaining that the sentences would run concurrently, the court also directed that he should refund some funds into the account of NAPL.
Myam explained that the sentences were subject to the confirmation of "confirming authority".
General Umar Mohammed is guilty of 14 counts out of 18 counts and the findings are as follows:
Count 1 : Stealing: 5 years imprisonment, and to return a total sum of 1,045,400.000 dollars to NAPL
Count 2: Stealing. 5 years imprisonment. To return a sum of 480,000 dollars only to NAPL
Count 3: Stealing. 5 years imprisonment and to return a sum of 85,400 dollars to NAPL
Count 4: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and return a sum of 35,300 dollars only to NA Properties Limited
Count 5: Stealing. 5 years imprisonment and to return the sum of 55,500 dollars to NAPL
Count 6: Stealing. and is sentenced to 5 years imprisonment according to section 114 of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 2004 shall pay 46,500 dollars only to NAPL
Count 7 Criminal conspiracy to commit forgery (Not Guilty) he was Discharged and acquitted.
Court 8: Forgery (Guilty) sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.
Count 9: The offence is Theft and is Guilty and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. The special court-martial relying on 174 Ordered 430,800 dollars to be returned to NA Properties Limited
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 to prejudice on discipline and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment.
Count 13: Theft sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and 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 NAPL
Count 15: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and to return. 255,000,000 NAPL
Count 16: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and to return the sum of 559,172,000 naira to NAPL
Count 17: Criminal misappropriation and he is found not guilty of count 17
Count18: Criminal misappropriation and the accused was found guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and shall pay back the sum of 172,000,000 naira to NAPL
Meanwhile, the defence counsel made a verbal application to the Army special court-martial to respect the Armed Forces Act of 157 forces that says the sentence of the court martial begins to run from the day the accused officer was detained in Army detention, therefore filed a verbal application that the accused be moved to a correctional centre and not back to army detection.
The application was turned down by the court.