NIGERIAN ARMY SENTENCES SOLDIER TO DEATH FOR KILLING FIVE RESCUED CIVILIANS

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The General Court Martial (GCM) sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State
has sentenced a soldier serving in Operation LAFIYA DOLE to death
for murder.
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Other soldiers also bagged jail sentences for various offences
ranging from manslaughter to illegal possession of firearms and
ammunition.
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The soldier, Lance Corporal John Godwin, was charged with murder,
which is punishable under Section 106 (a) of Armed Forces Acts
(Cap A20), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, for
killing five rescued civilians in Yamteke town of Borno State.
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The civilians were earlier rescued by troops of the soldier’s
battalion and were taken for investigation at the time the soldier
shot and killed 5 of them. Another soldier, Sergeant Innocent Ototo,
was sentenced to life imprisonment for manslaughter after torturing
and killing a 13-year-old boy who he said stole his phone.
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The incident happened at Zamanbari area of Maiduguri metropolis in
Borno State. While Lance Corporal Benjamin Osage and Private
Sunday Onwe were also sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each
for offences bordering on manslaughter and illegal possession of
firearms and ammunition.