A Special Military Court in Abuja on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, sentenced the former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Major General Umaru Mohammed, to seven years imprisonment for fraud.
The army authorities arraigned Mohammed on an 18-count charge of stealing, forgery, misappropriation, and conspiracy.
The convict was accused of stealing $1.04 million while serving as NAPL GMD between May 7, 2019, and June 24, 2021.
The army authorities also alleged that the defendant directed one Maj. Usman and one other now at large to collect money from ship owners in dollars.
Mohammed was equally indicted for taking N74 million from the company’s account on August 22, 2019,
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At Tuesday’s proceeding, the court found the army General guilty on 14 counts and sentenced him to seven years in prison.
He was also ordered to pay back $2,178,900 and N1.65 billion to NAPL.
The President of the court, Maj.-Gen. James Myam, who read out the sentence, said the verdict was based on the provisions of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and section 174 of the Armed Forces Act Cap 20 Laws, 2004.
He said the court handed out the sentence after due consideration of the plea for mitigation by the defence counsel.
Myam said: “These sentences of this special court-martial are all to run concurrently and are subject to the confirmation of the confirming authority.
“This sentence is dated this day, the 10th of October 2023, and the court is hereby adjourned Sine die.”
