A Nigerian Army special court martial has sentenced a former Group Managing Director, Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. Umaru Mohammed, to seven years’ imprisonment for corruption.
Mohammed was convicted of 14 counts bordering on forgery, misappropriation of funds, and conspiracy, among others. He was ordered to pay back $2,178,900 and N1.65bn to the Army properties and NAPL.
Mohammed pleaded not guilty to all the allegations, but the court martial found him guilty of 14 counts.
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, the eight-man panel, led Maj. Gen. James Myam, sentenced Mohammed to five years’ imprisonment on count one and ordered him to return a total sum of $1,045,400.000 to the Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
He was also sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on count two and ordered to pay $480,000 to NAPL.
On count three, Mohammed was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and ordered to refund $85,400 to NAPL.
He was similarly found guilty on counts four, five, six and nine, sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for each and ordered to refund $35,300, $55,500, $46,500 and $430,800, respectively.
The military court said the sentences would run concurrently and were subject to the confirmation of the authorities.
Mohammed’s counsel, Lekan Ojo (SAN), citing Section 157 of the Armed Forces Act, prayed the court to move his client to a custodial centre, but the application was turned down.
