Soldier sentenced to 7 years in prison for manslaughter

dimeji akinloye

February 1, 2017 7:18 PM

According to witnesses in the proceedings, the deceased died on the spot after the soldier shot him.

Photo for illustrative purpose.

A lance corporal,

A general court martial (GCM) of the Nigerian Army, found Adamu guilty of the death of Umar Alka following a disagreement at the Monday market in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Alka was said to have been killed on December 23, 2015.

Brigadier General Olusegun Adeniyi announced the sentence at a sitting in Maiduguri on Wednesday, February 1.

According to witnesses in the proceedings, the deceased died on the spot after Adamu shot him.

Adeniyi held that: "Having found you guilty of the offence of manslaughter and having listened to the plea by the defence counsel, looking at the punishment provided by sections 105 and 119 of the armed forces Act cap A20, laws of the federation, the court, hereby, sentences you to seven years imprisonment.

"The sentence is, however, subject to confirmation by the confirmation authority as provided by Section 152 sub-paragraph 1A of the Armed Forces Act."

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Recounting the ordeal, the deceased's father, Abubakar Abacha, told the tribunal that he received a distress call that a soldier killed his son on the said date.

He added that he arrived the scene and found the corpse of his son, with a deep hole passing through his chest.

dimeji akinloye