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The Military Court Martial  on Tuesday morning sentenced 12 soldiers to death.

Those to die are: Cpl. Jasper Braidolor, David Musa, Friday Onu, Yusuf Shuaibu, Emmanuel Igomu, Andrew Ngbede, Nurudeen Ahmed, Ifeanyi Alukhagbe, Alao Samuel, Amadi Chukwudi, Alan Linus and Stephen Clement.

They were among the 18 soldiers charged for mutiny on the 13th and 14th of May 2014 at the Maimalari Cantonment.

The soldiers were charged with six counts of criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny, disobeying lawful orders and various acts said to be inimical to the military service.

The nine-member military Court Martial, also found the soldiers guilty of insubordinate behaviour, use of abusive language, leveling false accusation against their superior officers, among others.

They were similarly found guilty of attempting to kill their erstwhile General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Ahmed Mohammed by shooting at his official car, between May 13 and 14, 2014. The car was bullet proof.

The court also found them guilty of preventing the movement of some of their injured colleagues to hospital and obstructing evacuation of their dead ones who were killed in ambush on their way from an operation in Chibok, Borno State.

The incident took place at the Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri in the course of the ongoing counter insurgency campaign.

Jeremiah Ichocho, who was found guilty of Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL) was sentenced to two years without labour.

Five were discharged and acquitted, having been found not guilty by the court.

The legal team of the convicts pleaded with the court martial to temper justice with mercy.

The team reeled out pathetic stories about the family backgrounds of the convicted servicemen.

One was said to be the only son of his octogenarian widowed mother.

Another is the father of a five-month-old baby.

The defence team argued that giving them maximum sentence would do more harm than good, adding that it would increase the agony of their dependants.

The court said the sentences were subject to confirmation by higher authorities and acknowledged the right of the soldiers, who pleaded not guilty to most of the charges, to appeal the judgment.

The court was presided over by Brig. Gen. CC Okwonkwo.

Other members of the court are: Col. TS Nurseman, Col. TO Olowomeye, Col. IG Lassa, Lt.Col. JK Feboke, Lt. Col. CR Nnebeife, Major I Yusuf, Major TA Yakubu and Major AE Martins.

Lt. Col. AA Audu and Lt. Col. U Ukpe served as prosecutors.


Credit: Vanguard Nigeria