60 soldiers face trial for mutiny today


Another set of 60 soldiers are to be arraigned before a General Court Martial by military authorities in Abuja on Tuesday (today)   for mutiny.

The soldiers allegedly committed mutiny on August 4, 2014 by refusing to join troops in Maiduguri for “an operation.”

Their arraignment which is to take place at the Sani Abacha Barracks in Abuja comes as The PUNCH gathered on Monday that some of the 12 soldiers convicted on September 15, 2014 by the GCM had notified the Court of Appeal of their intention to challenge their sentences.

The   GCM headed by Brig. Gen. C. Okonkwo   had sentenced 12 out of 18 soldiers facing trial guilty of mutiny among other offences and sentenced them to death. Five of them were however discharged and acquitted   and one sentenced to 28 days’ imprisonment with hard labour and reprimand.

The soldiers were charged with mutiny among other offences, including   attacking the former General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, Ahmed Mohammed.

A copy of the charge sheet filed against the 60 soldiers   was obtained by The PUNCH in Abuja on Monday.

The charge sheet revealed that the soldiers, comprising two corporals, nine lance corporals and 49 privates, are to be arraigned on two counts of conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny.



The accused allegedly committed the offences at the Mulai Primary School, opposite African Independent Television in Maiduguri, Borno State on August 4, 2014 by refusing to join “111 SF Bn troops” led by Col. E.A. Aladeniyi to Maimalari Barracks in connection with an operation.

According to the charge sheet, they “conspired to commit mutiny against the authority of 7 Division,” an offence said to be punishable under Section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P89 LFN 2004.

The soldiers were also accused of committing mutiny which is said to be punishable under Section 52(1)(a) of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004.

The charges   are said to be triable in the GCM under Section 114 of the AFA Cap A20 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P89 LFN 2004.

The two corporals   are Andrew Ogolekwu and Saturday Efa.

The charge sheet reads, “Count One: Criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny triable by the General Court Martial by virtue of Section 114 of the AFA Cap A20 LFN 2004 and punishable under section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P 89 LFN 2004.

“Particulars of offence: In that you at Mulai Primary School Camp opposite AIT Maiduguri on or about 4 August 2014 conspired to commit mutiny against the authority of 7 Division.

“Count 2: Mutiny contrary to and punishable under section 52(1)(a) of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004.

“Particulars of offence: In that you at Mulai Primary School Camp opposite AIT Maiduguri on or about 4 August 2014 refused to join 111 SF BN troops led by Col. E.A. Aladeniyi (N/9695) to Maimalari Barracks in connection with an operation.”

Indications had emerged on Sunday that lawyers seeking to file an appeal challenging the conviction of some of the 12 soldiers by the GCM     had not been able to have access to them.

There were reports that the convicted soldiers had been moved from the Defence Headquarters Garrison, Abuja to a detention facility at the Directorate of Defence Intelligence, Lagos.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Godwin Obla,   who brought the process of appeal on behalf of three of the convicted soldiers, said   his chambers had made unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with them   without success.

The soldiers are Iganmu Emmanuel, Steven Clement and  Andrew Ngbede.

Obla told one of our correspondents on the   telephone that the military did not volunteer information on where the convicts were being kept.

He said that the inability to locate them had hampered the completion of the appeal process as they had not been available to sign some documents required for the appeal.

The SAN said, “We have been trying to get them (the soldiers) to sign for the process; and because we have not been able to get them, we have not been able to complete the process; there are things for them to sign.

“Nobody has been able to tell us where they are being kept; nobody is volunteering information; nobody has been able to tell us where they are.

“We are just hearing that they have been moved to the Directorate of Military Intelligence Cell in Lagos.

“We   will make the move so that the process would be filed on their behalf.”



Obla also said that the filing process at the Court of Appeal had not been completed   because the findings against and the sentencing of the soldiers by the GCM had not been promulgated and communicated to them.

He said that the filing could only be made after the findings and the verdict of the court martial had been promulgated and communicated to them.

Obla said, “The findings and sentence by the General Court Martial need to be promulgated and it is to be communicated to the convicts. It has not been communicated to them.

“It is after the findings and the sentence have been communicated to the convicts that the filing can be made.”

A lawyer from Obla’s law firm, Mr. Enokela Onyilo-Uloko,   said     that the law firm of a former President of the Senate, Chief Amah Ebute, was handling the defence of six of the   convicted soldiers.

He listed those being represented by Ebute’s law firm as Jasper Braidolor, Friday Onuh, Alao Samuel,   Linus Alan,   Ifeanyi Alukagbe and Amadi Chukwudi.

He said, “Nine of the soldiers are already before the Court of Appeal; the appeals are within time; we are awaiting the hearing date from the Court of Appeal.

“A motion for Stay of Execution is being filed to make sure they don’t tamper with them.”

When The PUNCH sought to know from the   Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Olajide Laleye,   if the conviction of the soldiers had been confirmed by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah,   he said he was not aware.

“I am not aware if the judgment has been confirmed or not; I don’t have that information,” Laleye said

The PUNCH had reported on Friday   that the Army might soon arraign 13 soldiers for cowardice and failure to obey orders from their superiors to advance at the (war) front.

The soldiers were said to have been directed to join their counterparts at the 7 Division, entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the North-East early in the year.

Source

FTC

dis seun guy or whosoever is in charge is very bias.
i posted dis same topic dis moring bt mine dint make Front page now someone else does and makes FP. Xo phatetic. Smhh
#NAIRALAND politics

I think we need to look into this Mutiny ish.

Soldiers refusing what they are trained to do doesn't happen every day.

A friend of mine said the weapons this BH guys use are more sophisticated than what our soldiers are given. Some of the guns won't even fire sometimes when they are face to face with BH guys.

If this is true, is it not a suicide mission?

But why is it raining Mutiny all of a sudden?

The Nigerian Military should be checked, something is definitely wrong some where.

“It is after the findings and the sentence have been communicated to the convicts that the filing can be made.”

Does this means that they are not aware of their sentence? I will call this jungle judgement.

ohk, gud for dm

Boko Haram is fighting religion fight they say......


........Nigeria top officials are sponsoring them they never say.

Nawa o

Good. Rebelling against authority is rebelling against the country

PS: Anita Oyakhilome’s name & pic totally removed from Rhapsody of Realities of October. See Here

Hmmm! Who Says the army is not a cult?

Gone are the days when ppl join army for passion

Now it an option to opt out of poverty

That's why we are faced with such acts

Oga oo.. They still dont deserve to die na..

Mixed feelings for me.

Ha anoda mutiny

Those oga's at the top don't want to know the cause of this mutiny..

I know some people would still blame GEJ for this

ok,,next mbok

Instead of galvanising the soldiers at this point to fight against our common enemy and settle their issues later, they are busy dampening the morale of our troops. Even I that is not a soldier is saddened with these news of daily persecution our defenders. This is ill-timed mehn.

A house divided against itself cannot stand.

Oga oo.. This sounds really sad. After working for naija all their lives


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It is so sad that the Nigeria Armies are being tried for misconduct where as the Nigeria Police are walking freely IN Corruption, Misconduct and crimes worst more than Mutiny....#EqualJustice for all

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see them. cowards. if it was against civilians now they will be forming Hitler. they should sentence all of them to death joor. Is it not their mates that are defending konduga..

nawa o

$haa..na ebelebe trail de remain

Soldiers face mutiny charges while BH get amnesty pardon.




9ja you're too much

Finally made FP. Now I know its overrated mtchew!

only in naija

I pity dis Soldiers. All dis will only repel dos looking for employment in d Army.

not good o.this is corruption.,imagine them not allowing the convicted soldiers to see their lawyers,this mean som1 from the top want these soldiers dead

kill all your soldiers....till now no boko dey face trial oh...