A military court which sat at the Command Officers Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja on Wednesday, has sentenced a Lance Corporal to 55 years imprisonment.

According to the Vanguard Newspapers, the Lance Corporal who is identified as Babangida Ibrahim, shot and killed one Bello Aliyu Abdullahi, a World Health Organization (WHO) staff, in Zamfara State in 2014.

It was reported that the convict broke into Bello’s house after he had killed him, stole his Honda Accord car with some other valuables for his personal use and fled to Kaduna with his family where he was arrested upon investigation.

The military court-martial which was presided over by PB Fekrogha, a Major General found Abdullahi guilty of four charges. He was found guilty of civil offence culpable homicide; housebreaking and theft which are punishable under section 114 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap A20, Laws of AFN 2004.

For count one, he was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment. For count two, he was sentenced to five years of imprisonment. And count three and four which are to run concurrently to five years imprisonment.

Count two, housebreaking, punishable under section 110 (a) of Armed Forces Act, Cap A20 LFN 2004.

Count three, 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 four, 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 General Court Martial are Major General PB Fakrogha, President, Brigadier General J O Ochai, Brigadier General POE Pearse, Brigadier General EJ Ikomi, Brigadier General AL Okpodu, Brigadier General SD Makulo, Col MK Ibrahim, Col L Abubakar, Col MA Yusuf and Captain KC Ogili (Judge Advocate).

The prosecution counsel for the Nigerian Army was led by Dipreye Biambo, a Major while the Defence Counsel for the accused soldier was led by Felix Jimba, a barrister.

The President of the GCM, however, disclosed that the judgment and sentence were subject to confirmation by the convening authority which is the Nigerian Army.