…orders refund of stolen funds

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the conviction and sentencing of former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, for syphoning and mismanaging funds belonging to the company.

In the ruling delivered on Monday, March 9, the appellate court struck out Mohammed’s appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the Special Court Martial (Nigerian Army) and the validity of its verdict.

New Telegraph recalls that the former army general was earlier tried and convicted by the court martial on October 10, 2023, for offences bordering on stealing and criminal misappropriation of funds belonging to Nigerian Army Properties Limited.

After his conviction,  Mohammed was further dismissed from the Nigerian Army, sentenced to imprisonment and compelled to refund 2,099,700 dollars and N1.65 billion to the company.

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Following the judgment, Mohammed appealed to the appellate court on 12 February 2025, in suit No. CA/ABJ/CR/383/2025, arguing that his conviction was not supported by sufficient and credible evidence.

Furthermore, the three-member panel of justices, Abba Mohammed, Okon Abang and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, dismissed the appeal, stating that the evidence presented during the court martial clearly established the offences.

According to the certified true copies of the ruling released on Monday, the court held that the Special Court Martial was right to reject the former general’s defence, describing it as inconsistent and unreliable.

The court signals discrepancies in Mohammed’s testimony, particularly his claim that Nigerian Army Properties Limited never operated berthing services, which contradicts documentary records authored by him indicating otherwise. To this end, the inconsistencies in the testimony undermined his credibility.

The appellate court consequently affirmed the conviction and sentence imposed by the Special Court Martial on all counts except those relating to forgery.