Another 60 Soldiers To Be Arraigned For Mutiny
Barely two weeks after 12 soldiers were sentenced to death for mutiny, another set of 60 soldiers are to be arraigned before a General Court Martial by military authorities in Abuja today, September 30, for mutiny.
The soldiers comprising two corporals, nine lance corporals and 49 privates, 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, Punch reports.
They will be arraigned at the Sani Abacha Barracks in Abuja on a two count charge of conspiracy to commit mutiny (which is an offence said to be punishable under Section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P89 LFN 2004) and mutiny (punishable under Section 52(1)(a) of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004).
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Both 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.
In a related development, there are indications that some of the 12 soldiers who were convicted on September 15, 2014 by the GCM had notified the Court of Appeal of their intention to challenge their sentences.
However, lawyers seeking to file an appeal challenging their conviction have not been able to gain access to them.
According to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Godwin Obla, who brought the process of appeal on behalf of three of the convicted soldiers named Iganmu Emmanuel, Steven Clement and Andrew Ngbede, attempts by his chamber to get in touch with the convicted soldiers had been unsuccessful.
A lawyer from Obla’s law firm, Mr. Enokela Onyilo-Uloko, revealed that the law firm of a former President of the Senate, Chief Amah Ebute, was handling the defence of six of the convicted soldiers identified as Jasper Braidolor, Friday Onuh, Alao Samuel, Linus Alan, Ifeanyi Alukagbe and Amadi Chukwudi.
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“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,” he said.
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.
Recall that 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.
Their death sentence triggered a lot of controversy as some condemned the sentence while others said they deserved to die.
Source: Legit.ng
