The Nigerian Army Authority yesterday postponed to Thursday the General Court Martial of some soldiers charged with alleged mutiny. The mutiny was committed when the soldiers allegedly refused to join troops in Maiduguri for “an operation” on August 4, 2014.
The trial of the set of Nigerian soldiers numbering 60 was to have been held at the Mogadishu Cantonment before a General Court Martial by military authorities in Abuja on Tuesday but the venue was locked as at 10.45 a.m.
Following the postponement, the trial will be inaugurated tomorrow at the Mogadishu Cantonment Conference room of the Army Headquarters Garrison.
A statement from Army Headquarters said "In continuation of efforts by the Nigerian Army to promptly dispose of cases pertaining to violation of the Armed Forces Act, a General Court Martial to try offenders will be inaugurated at Conference hall of AHQ Garrison."
The postponement of the trial was confirmed by a military source, who did not want to be named. He told our correspondents that the inauguration will kick off by 10 am, tomorrow, October 2.
The source also said lawyers representing the accused soldiers met with legal officers of the court martial on Tuesday morning and agreed to shift trial till Thursday because of the independence holiday on Wednesday.
The Punch reports that a copy of the charge sheet filed against the 60 soldiers was retrieved on Monday.
According to the charge sheet, the soldiers, comprising two corporals, nine lance corporals and 49 privates, are to be summoned on two counts of conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny.
The sheet revealed that the soldiers committed the offence at Mulai Primary School, close to African Independent Television (AIT) in Maiduguri, Borno State. It said the incident occurred on August 4, 2014 as they clearly refused to join “111 SF Bn troops” led by Col. E.A. Aladeniyi to Maimalari Barracks from where they would have proceeded for an operation.
The charge sheet further held that they “conspired to commit mutiny against the authority of 7 Division,” an offence said to be punishable under Section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P89 LFN 2004.
The soldiers were also accused of committing mutiny, which is said to be punishable under Section 52(1)(a) of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004.
The charges are said to be triable in the GCM under Section 114 of the AFA Cap A20 LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 91(1) of the Penal Code Cap P89 LFN 2004.
The two corporals are Andrew Ogolekwu and Saturday Efa. http://aitonline.tv/post-mutiny__trial_of_another_set_of_soldiers_postponed_till_thursday#sthash.rOJwXdCp.dpuf
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