Army Court-martials Major General over Theft of $1,476,200

•Selling, conversion of army property worth N74m

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

A special court martial set up by the Nigerian Army has found the former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Major General Umar Mohammed, guilty of 14 of 18 count charges which are all contrary to service laws.

The court martial which was headed by Major General Kames Myam also had seven major generals as members with a brigadier-general as judge advocate.

The charges included stealing, forgery, conspiracy, theft, and unauthorised diversion of army property among others.

The charges were all subject to service discipline.

Among the charges was the collection of a sum of $1.045,400 paid by shipping companies for the use of Nigerian Army Jetty located at No 6 Marina, Victoria Island, Lagos

Major General UM Mohammed was also found guilty of a theft of $430.800 being monies paid into Nigerian Army Domiciliary account at Unity Bank, Abuja for use of Nigerian Army Jetty, Marina, VI, Lagos

Furthermore, Major Gen Mohammed was found guilty of withdrawing and confiscating the sum of N74 million out of N75 million paid for a property belonging to the Nigerian Army at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The general was, however, found not guilty on allegations that he sold Army property worth N200 million in Lagos as well as stole the sum of another N750 million out of the N2.5 billion secured from banks as well as contribution from subscribers for an army housing estate in Asokoro, Abuja

He was also not found guilty of charges of forging a deed of agreement document pursuant to confiscating another army property in Lagos.

The Special Court Martial with Major General Kames Myam as President, has seven other Major Generals as members and a Brigadier General as Judge Advocate and it is expected to read out its sentences for the accused by Tuesday next week.

During the court martial, Major General UM Mohammed was brought into the court in a wheel chair but President of the court, Major Gen Myan, said all necessary medical checks were carried out on the accused and all proved that he was fit to stand trial.