A soldier of the Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal, Babangida Ibrahim has been convicted for killing an official of the World Health Organisation (WHO), working in Zamfara State and stealing his property.
In a judgment on Wednesday, a General Court Martial of the Nigerian Army, presided over by Major General PB Fekrogha, sentenced Ibrahim to a total 55 years’ imprisonment.
The Court Martial, which sat at the Command Officers Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja, convicted Ibrahim guilty on all four counts.
For count one, Ibrahim got 40 years; for count two, three and four, the convict git five years each. The sentences are to run concurrently.
According to the facts of the case, Ibrahim, while on deployment on Operation Mesa to fight banditry in Zamfara State, at about 10 pm on August 11, 2014, without justification, shot and killed Bello Aliyu Abdullahi (WHO Staff) with his personal AK 47 rifle.
Thereafter, Ibrahim at about 4 am, broke into the house of Bello, located at Gidan-Dari, Anka LGA, Zamfara State. He stole the Gionee E3 and a Nokia handset belonging to Bello.
Ibrahim also dishonestly took the Honda Accord car belonging Bello with registration number TRK 414 AA, containing one Laptop computer and the sum of N6,000, which he subsequently moved to Kaduna where his family resides and was using the car as a personal car before investigators arrested him.
Ibrahim stood trial on a charge of four counts.
*Count 1: Committing civil offence, culpable homicide by virtue of section 114 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of AFN 2004.
*Count 2: House breaking, punishable under section 110 (a) of Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.
“Count 3: Offence of theft, contrary to section 286 of the penal code and punishable under section 287 of the penal code Cap P2 LFN 2004, triable by virtue of section 114 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.
*Count 4: Theft, contrary to section 286 of the penal code and punishable under section 287 of the penal code Cap P 2, LFN 2004.
Members of the Court Martial were Major General P. B. Fakrogha, President, Brigadier General J. O. Ochai, Brigadier General P. O. E. Pearse, Brigadier General E. J. Ikomi, Brigadier General A. L. Okpodu, Brigadier General S. D. Makulo, Col. M. K. Ibrahim, Col. L. Abubakar, Col. M. A. Yusuf and Captain K. C. Ogili (judge advocate).
The Nigerian Army’s prosecution team was led by Major Dipreye Biambo, while Barr. Felix Jimba acted as the defence lawyer.
The Court Martial’s President, Fakrogha said the judgment and sentence is subject to the confirmation of the convening authority, which is the Nigerian Army.
