Army court sentences soldier to 55 years in prison for killing WHO staff

A General Court Martial on Wednesday sentenced a soldier, Lance Corporal Babangida Ibrahim, to 55 years imprisonment for killing a World Health Organisation (WHO) worker, Bello Abdullahi, in Zamfara State.

The court martial, which sat at the Command Officers Mess 1, Asokoro, Abuja, and presided over by Maj. Gen. P. Fekrogha found the soldier guilty on all four-count charge.

Other members of the panel were: Brigs. Gen. J. Ochai, P. Pearse, E. Ikomi, A. Okpodu, S. Makulo; Cols. M. Ibrahim, L. Abubakar, M. Yusuf, and the Judge Advocate, Capt. K. Ogili.

The prosecution counsel was led by Maj. Dipreye Biambo while Felix Jimba led the defence team.

The court’s president, however, disclosed that the sentence was subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Army.

READ ALSO: Army court-martials 14 soldiers over kidnapping, murder

Ibrahim was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment on count one and was given an additional five years on count two, three, and four.

The terms are to run concurrently.

The prosecution told the court that Ibrahim, while on deployment on Operation Mesa to fight banditry in Zamfara State shot and killed Abdullahi with his AK-47 rifle without justification at about 10:00 p.m. on August 11, 2014.

He also broke into the deceased apartment at Gidan-Dari, Anka local government area of Zamfara State and stole his Gionee E3 phone and a Nokia handset.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now