By Our Correspondent
General Court-Martial, GCM, in Enugu State has sentenced a soldier, Adamu Mohammed, to death by hanging for killing his girlfriend identified as Hauwa Ali.
This was announced in a statement yesterday by the Acting Deputy Director of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Lieutenant-Colonel Jonah Unuakhalu.
The army spokesman said the court also sentenced Abubakar Yusuf to 10 years imprisonment for robbing a mall in Enugu.
Delivering judgment, President of the 11-member GCM, Brigadier-General Sadisu Buhari said Mohammed was found guilty of murder under Section 106 (a) of the Armed Forces Act of 2004.
Buhari noted that that the judgement was handed down after a “careful” review of the soldier’s record, his compassionate plea for mitigation and in the interest of justice for the deceased.
“Given this, GCM has determined that the accused soldier, 21NA/80/6365 Private Adamu Mohammed, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging for the charge of murder,” he said.
Buhari added that the panel also found Yusuf guilty of robbery, punishable under Section 107(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act of 2004.
The GCM president said the court considered the plea presented by the accused and his counsel for leniency and applied the judgement to uphold societal decorum and protect the reputation of the army.
“However, due to its inability to reach unanimous decision required to impose the maximum mandatory punishment prescribed under Section 107(2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004, the GCM, relying on the provisions of Section 140 (3) of the Armed Forces Act, hereby sentences the accused soldier, 23NA/85/12116 Private Abubakar Yusuf, to 10 years imprisonment,” he added.
He reassured the public of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism, noting that the findings and sentences pronounced for both soldiers are subject to confirmation by the “appropriate authority.”
The General Court Martial was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Major-General Oluyemi Olatoye, on February 18 to try erring personnel within the Division for various offences.
