₦airaland Forum

27 soldiers get life sentence for mutiny


ALL the 28 soldiers but one who were on one-count charge of mutiny contrary to section 52(2) of Armed Forces Act (Cap A20), Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Their trial was handled by Brig-Gen. Ishaya Bauka- led Court Martial sitting in Owena Barracks, Akure in Ondo State.

The soldiers had protested the non-payment of their allowances during their participation in the United Nation (UN) peacekeeping mission in Liberia.

Those convicted are Sergeant Oliver Akwara, Corporals Princewell Onwunare, Abass Salisu, Paul Maikudi, Lance Corporals Okani Pope, Lawal Abubakar, Pascal Stephen, John Felix, and Yomi Ibunkun.

Others are Lance Corporals Loveday Nmpaie, Umar Abdulkadir, Musas Salisu, Ibrahim Yusuf, Innocent Egbuna, Wanogho Shedrack ana Bello Zahraheed.

The rest are Private Chukwudi Onwukanjo, Jonathan Komo, Samuel Ogbe, Nkawor Esther, Mary Idoko, Olaniyan Yetunde, Anthogan Jonathan, Saliu Ibrahim, Adaraloye Olalekan, Kabiru Mohammed, and Amukan Keleshi.

The 17th accused person, Private Bala Aliyu was discharged and acquitted by the court due the overwhelming evidence that he did not feature in the protest.

The sentence, according to Bauka, is subject to confirmation by the highest military authorities in the country.

The convicted soldiers were part of the 850-member strong 14th Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT 14) drawn from across military formations in the country to participate in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force in Liberia from September 2007 to April 2008.

They were accused of taking part in a public demonstration against a shortfall in the allowances payable to them, which their Commanding Officer said had been left behind in Abuja on July 2, 2008.

The protest which took place in the Owena Barracks of the 323 Artillery Brigade led to a closure of business activities around the Ondo Road, Akure location of the army formation as hundreds of soldiers blocked the highway and set up bonfires, singing war songs condemning their superiors.

At the end of the trial which took over nine months, the presiding officer said the court martial had considered the pleas of the defence counsel, Morakinyo Ogele of the Femi Falana Chambers, that the panel temper justice with mercy.

He added that the panel had also considered the fact that the Army had spent millions of naira in the training of the soldiers and that the fact that they were all first offenders with no history of insubordination was also taken into consideration.

He however said the hands of the panel were tied because of the gravity of the offence, which he said "infringed on the very essence of the command structure of the Army and an act that can ridicule and cause embarrassment to the Army authorities."

On July 4, 2008 they protested over alleged diversion of the $5,040 from their allowances by some military officers.

Reading out the judgment yesterday, Bauka said Aliyu (freed) merely raised his hand when the former Commanding Officer of the 323 Artillery Regiment in Akure, Lt. Col. Godwin Omelo was addressing the soldiers and that it could not amount to a protest against the order of the

They were earlier de-robed of their ranks by the same martial court.

In his over five hours ruling, Bauka said the soldiers refused to obey the lawful orders of Omelo by barricading the Akure/Ondo Road and disturbed the peace of the residents.

He said since they were still in the Nigerian Army, no matter their grievances, they were still subject to service law and should therefore be law abiding, adding that they were given an order by their superior, which they failed to carry out.

Bauka said they deliberately colluded and disobeyed the order, which according to him, struck at the foundation of discipline in the Army, declaring that their acts were deliberately designed to put the Nigerian Army in danger.

Other officers who heard the matter are Brig-Gen. A. S. B. Ngorgi, U. Chima, F.S. Owonibi, M. E. Ahmed (Judge Advocate), Col. W.O. V. ijide, and Col. S. Ado.

Bauka said the convicts were found guilty of the offence for which they were charged with overwhelming evidences coupled with the testimonies they made during their cross-examination.

The court said all ingredients of the charges were established and therefore the accused committed mutiny, which according to him could subvert the sovereignty of the nation.

Bauka also said their action could undermine the discipline in the Armed Forces, stressing that they conducted themselves in riotous manner against the tenets of discipline in the Army.

He said: "From evidence before us, the court has been convinced that they committed mutiny by protesting against the order of the Commanding Officer that they should line up to receive their allowances with the intention to plead with them that the shortfall will be paid in the subsequent Monday which they resisted by shouting and even stoning the CO. This is against the Military Act."

Ogele in his plea, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, stressing that all the accused had not been charged with any military offence in the past.

He also pleaded that they should be treated like the biblical "prodigal son," emphasising that if it were the conventional court, they would have been discharged since the officers, who deprived them of their entitlements were already convicted by the court.

Ogele said: "My lords, they have asked for your forgiveness, tell them to go and sin no more as fathers."

The prosecution counsel, Lt-Col. T. S. Nurseman, who submitted the files of the convicted soldiers, affirmed that from all available records, all of them were first offenders.

He sent their records through the bar and also pleaded for leniency.

Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article02//indexn2_html?pdate=280409&ptitle=27%20soldiers%20get%20life%20sentence%20for%20mutiny

He want to employ them for ritual purpose

I hereby apply as UNDERGRADUATE TRAINEE.

[b]_{(thinking aloud)}[/b]Who knows.

Bros,  what are these plans?

temi 4 rea:
@Cabili
I no want promise and fail,

@Cabali
Please make you no forsake her, because my fate of getting an older TV from her depends on you.
If you no give am better TV now she no go give me that old one.
Please naaaaaaaawww.

@Cabali
Please do quick now, she is waiting.

@temi
Don't forget me when you enter into your kingdom. I hope say you go still give me that your 1st TV.

temi 4 rea:
Hm carpenter no fit chop nail o,

For were wetn i wnt take second don,

Allah ki ya a!

Its true, its true, now i remember.
He call me on phone now, he dey come with new TV,
Just wait for Norman, na there he wan carry am come.
But no forget me ooo.

Na there now.
You think say na new TV he wan buy for you?
na fairly used 2nd hand TV.
Abi u no know say global economic financial meltdown dey?

@temi
We are going to watch the new one together.

The program is a nice one but I don't realy know how they select the contestants.
I enjoy watching it especialy when the contestant chose the song I know.

Awuf dey run belle, except if you'll give me the second TV, I don't want the old one ooo.

temi 4 rea:
Ha! Na onyeka me i see o!

She is right. Onyeka was the host at the initial time when they were running audition from one school to another. They later changed her.

@Temi4rea,
you have a nice TV   but have not watched the program recently  

@Cabali,
Her TV is good. She is not watching it.  

temi 4 rea:
@Cabali
I wont mind u buying one for me.

What are you going to do with 2 TVs?

It is not acceptable anywhere in the world, but our leaders should lead by example. The Government can not caution the private sectors when they are doing the wrong thing themself. It is injustice and should be frowned at.

Nigeria,
Good People,
Good Nation

AIT/Raypower and private establishmets are not the only organisation that owe its workers. NITEL or Transcope could not pay its workers for over 7 months now. They throw over 75% of their workers into the labour market, still they refused to pay the retained workers.
Is this the way we are going to rebrand the nation?

The One:
@ hackne

how come you sound so stupid?

so simple. Enemy of the State

LASTMAN do not collect bribe only when you offend. I was in a bus one day heading towards Obalande and a police man was their too, they double crossed tried to arrest the driver and the vehicle. When the police asked what the matter is, they told him that they have been looking for the vehicle for knocking down okada a week before. When asked the vehicle number, the LASTMA could not give it off hand. That is what saved the driver that day cos they were ready to tow the vehicle that morning.

It happened to my system. It is a virus, though I've forgotten the virus name, it would'nt allow the antivirus software to install too. Just run your system through safe mode and install the antivirus - I used Avast antivirus(free edition). That will solve it. I didn't belive the installation could run under safe mode. After that, chose to schedule for full scan in the next boot.
Your problem will be solved.

Yes it works,though I have not used it b4, but my boss did.

St. Irenaeus (peace maker) and St. Anthony and all the Saints.

my credit is going down and the phone is getting hot, let me put it in the fridge. I'll call you later.

the heck is that you can't deny it.  

But the face is your face and those legs are yours, why?

Iam doomed if you broadcast it. Its going to affect my political ambition.

pls don't. Are you CHANNELS TV?

Sweetheart, so you smoke shit?

No now, she can't smoke Benson&Hedges and your talking of smoking shit.

can't realy remember the question.