Army clarifies trial of ex-NAPL GMD

The Nigerian Army says the former Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigeria Army Property Limited (NAPL), Maj.-Gen. UM Mohammed, is being Court Martialed following his indictment over sharp practices while in office.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, gave the clarifications in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

“The general is being tried having been indicted by a military police investigation and recommendation for trial.

“Therefore, the media report on the ongoing Court Martial process of Maj.-Gen. Mohammed, is ill-conceived and campaign of calumny.

“Indeed, Maj.-Gen. Muhammed is facing army court-martial over alleged offences of theft of various sums of money belonging to NAPL and forgery,” he said.

According to him, “it is expedient to clear the air on the despicably false report and calculated attempt to cast aspersion on the ongoing court martial”.

He said the trial had already progressed to an advanced stage, adding that the prosecution had put forward the evidence against the general and closed its case.

Nwachukwu disclosed that the accused has opened his defence and testifying as First Defence Witness (DW1).

“For the avoidance of doubts, without being sub-judicial, the former GMD NAPL is facing trial in relation to alleged offences of theft of various sums of money belonging to NAPL and forgery.

“These are all acts declared as offences punishable under the provisions of various extant penal laws in Nigeria.

“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.

“This is 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.

“It is instructive to point out, that trials are lawfully provided in the Armed Forces Act (AFA) as one of the disciplinary tools in the armed forces,” he said.

Nwachukwu said the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court had in multiple instances validated the procedures, findings, and sentences of court-martial.

He added that the court martials like all other criminal trials were held in the open.

According to him, the trial of Maj.-Gen. Mohammed is taking place at the Army Headquarters Command Officers’ Mess, Asokoro Abuja and not shrouded in secrecy as being insinuated.

“The trial has been opened 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. 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.

“Furthermore, it is also a fact that members of the Special Court Martial trying Maj.-Gen.

Mohammed are all junior to him.

“This is permissible in special circumstances, as the Armed Forces Act provides for this contingency in Section 133(7), where the Convening Officer is required to obtain the consent of an appropriate superior to appoint any such officers as members of the court.

“The requisite consent was obtained before convening the Special Court Martial trying the accused senior officer,” he added.

The Army spokesman said that the general was being defended by a legal team comprising two Senior Advocates and six lawyers, including a retired military officer.

He said that Mohammed was currently being detained at a military location purposely-built for such detention, where the rights and wellbeing of such detainees were given prime consideration.

According to him, at the onset of the trial, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed requested to be granted bail interalia on health grounds, the court declined the bail application taking cognisance of the humongous amount of monies allegedly stolen in the indictment, which could encourage the accused senior officer to abscond.NAN

Confirm your life status via ‘I Am Alive’ exercise, PTAD tells pensioners

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has urged pensioners to take advantage of the ongoing ‘I Am Alive’ online confirmation exercise under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS) to confirm their life status as continued beneficiary of the scheme.

The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, who made the call during the Northwest Stakeholder’s Engagement Forum in Kaduna on Monday, said PTAD has successfully tested the application on 50, 000 randomly selected pensioners from four operational departments in the six geopolitical zones in the pilot stage. “Following the success of the Pilot Phase, on the 14th of April 2023, PTAD fully rolled out the solution for the use of our pensioners.

“To ensure an efficient and effective delivery, and prevent a heavy flow of traffic on the website, we have staggered the availability of the Confirmation Solution according to departments as follows; Police Pensioners 14th

April, 2023 to 13th October, 2023; Customs, Immigration, Prisons

Pensioners 1st June, 2023 to 31st December, 2023; Civil Service Pensioners 1st July, 2023 to 31st

January, 2023; and Parastatals

Pensioners 1st August, 2023 to 28th February, 2023 for a period of six months.

“Since our last Stakeholders Forum for the Northwest held in Kano in November 2021, PTAD has completed the liquidation of the 126 months outstanding liabilities due to ex- workers of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, complete payment of the 219 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of New Nigeria Newspaper (NNN) Limited, complete payment of the 100 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of NICON Insurance and complete payment of the 96 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of Delta Steel Company (DSC).

“We have also implemented the 9.7% increment to ex-PHCN workers with attendant arrears and paid a total of 48 months of the 84 months inherited arrears owed NITEL/MTEL pensioners in December 2022, leaving a balance of 36 months for complete liquidation,” she said.