Nigerian Army Slams Sahara Reporters Over False Report

The Nigerian Army has criticised Sahara Reporters for publishing a report about Major General UM Mohammed's ongoing Court Martial process. 

General Mohammed is accused of theft and forgery during his tenure as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited. 

The Army Headquarters clarified that the trial was taking place in the open and that the accused was being defended by a legal team comprising two Senior Advocates and six lawyers, including a retired military officer. 

The Court has declined the accused senior officer's bail application but granted visitation rights to some family members, including his two wives, son, daughter and brother. 

This was contained in a statement by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director Army Public Relations Officer, on Sunday. 

"To set the records straight, upon investigation and indictment of the accused senior officer by military police investigations, the Army Headquarters convened a Special Court Martial to try the Senior Officer as a procedure to legally recover the sums of money he allegedly fraudulently acquired from the coffers of NAPL during his tenure as GMD. The details of the outcome of the Court Martial will be provided at the end of the Court Martial proceedings. 

"However, it is instructive to point out, that Court Martial trials are lawfully provided in the Armed Forces Act (AFA) as one of the disciplinary tools in the Armed Forces. 

"The Court of Appeal and Supreme Court have in multiple instances validated the procedures, findings, and sentences of Court-martial. 

"Court Martials like all other criminal trials are held in the open. 

"The trial of Major General UM Mohammed is taking place at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess, Asokoro Abuja and not shrouded in secrecy as being wrongly insinuated.

"The trial has been open and the Defence has presented adequate representation in court. 

"The accused senior officer’s family members, friends, and associates attend and observe the Court proceedings till date, without hindrance. 

"It is factual that Maj. Gen UM Mohammed ought to have proceeded on retirement, however, provisions of the Armed Forces Act (specifically Section 169) permits the retention in service of such a personnel, who has pending disciplinary case(s) to allow extant legal processes. 

"On the issue of the accused senior officer's health; as with all other Court Martial trials, Maj Gen Mohammed’s state of health is examined daily to determine his fitness to stand trial before the commencement of proceedings for the day. 

"The holding facility where he is detained is serviced by the Army Command and NAOWA Hospital and these medical facilities are open to him whenever required.

"It is crucial to state clearly, that it is inappropriate and amounts to unlawful interference with the administration of justice to peddle inaccurate reports and comments on a matter currently under judicial adjudication (sub-judice). 

"All the statements reported to have been made about certain persons and funds disbursement were made in the course of the trial by a witness in the defence of his case. 

"We shall therefore not comment on those statements to maintain the sanctity of the trial and its outcome.

"Sahara Reporters is enjoined to practice responsible journalism and refrain from subjective, inaccurate, and inappropriate reporting of matters currently sub-judice," Nwachukwu stated.