Army general jailed seven years for stealing $2.1m, N1.65b funds belonging to the military

On Tuesday, October 10, a Nigerian Army Special Court-martial convened in Abuja and sentenced Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, to a seven-year prison term. The charges against him were related to the misappropriation of $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion belonging to the Nigerian Army Property Limited (NAPL).

According to The Nation’s report, Mohammed was convicted on 14 out of the 18 charges, which included forgery, fund misappropriation, and conspiracy. Initially, the accused had pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against him.

During the recent session where the verdict was delivered, the eight-member panel headed by Maj.-Gen. James Myam disclosed that count one was based on section 383(1) of the Criminal Code Act Cap c38, law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It was punishable under section 390 (7), and the charge was also filed pursuant to section 114 of the armed forces Act Cap A20 2004.

The charges and sentence are:

Count 1: Stealing 5 years imprisonment, and to return a total sum of 1,045,400.000 dollars to NA

Count 2: Stealing 5 years imprisonment.  480,000 dollars to NA

Count 3: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and relying on secti0 85,400 dollars to NA

Count 4: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and returning the sum of 35,300 dollars only to NA Properties

Count 5: Stealing 5 years imprisonment and to return the sum of 55,500 dollars to NA Pr

Count 6: Stealing and is sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and 174 of the Armed Forces Act cap 8 120 shall pay 46,500 dollars only to NA

Count 7 Criminal conspiracy to commit forgery (Not Guilty) Discharged and acquitted of

Court 8: Forgery (Guilty) sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

Count 9: Offence is theft and is guilty and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment.. The special court-martial relying on 174 Ordered 430,800 dollars to NAPL.

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 prejudice on discipline and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment.

Count 13: Theft sentenced to 5 years imprisonment 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 NCC NAPIl

Count 15: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and rely on 174 AFN. 255,000,000/to NCC NAPIL

Count 16: Criminal misappropriation and he is guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and the special count 174. Pay 559,172,000 naira to NCC

Count 17: Criminal misappropriation and he is found not guilty of count 17

Count18: Criminal misappropriation and the accused found Guilty and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and ordered shall pay 172,000,000 naira to FCC NAPL

The panel explained that the prosecution counsels called 24 witnesses, while the defendant called two witnesses. The panel, thereafter, in its judgment 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. The court explained that the sentences would run concurrently, and directed that he should refund funds into the account of NAPL.