CHANNELS TV
A Special Court Martial of the Nigerian Army has demoted the Director, 68 Reference Hospital, Yaba, in Lagos State, Major General Patrick Falola, to the rank of Brigadier General.
The demotion follows
the conviction of the Major General who was accused of unlawfully admitting
students for clinical training without due clearance from the army
headquarters.
Major General Falola
is said to have admitted international students from Espan Formation
University, Cotonou in Benin Republic between July and September, 2016.
President of the
Special Court Martial, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum, said the accused was found
guilty of first count.
Delivering judgment in
the case against Major General Falola, who is also a Commander of the Armed
Forces Hospital in Kano, President of the Special Court Martial, Air Vice
Marshal James Gbum, sentenced the accused officer to a reduction in rank from
Major General to Brigadier General on count one of the charge.
He was, however,
discharged and acquitted of the second count of fraudulent misapplication of
the hospital’s property.
Lawyer to Major
General Falola, Wing Commander Enokela Onyilo-Uloko [Rtd], however, criticised
the conviction, saying it was a premeditated attempt to taint the unblemished
record of his client whom he described as a distinguished medical officer with
outstanding records.
Enokela Onyilo-Uloko says the judgment of the
Special Court Martial has no legal backing
“On hearing of this
kind of conviction, we know that it is based on nothing. There is no law, no
instruction put on the ground by the armed forces that the senior officer needs
to take permission from the higher authority before allowing such training.
“No such law or
instruction was tendered in evidence, but they are saying that he should use
his initiative.
“When there is no law
criminalising an act, when that act is done, it does not amount to criminal
offence,” the lawyer said.
He further vowed to
appeal the judgment of the Special Court Martial.
However, the judgement of the Army Court
Martial is subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Army Council.
This material, and other digital content on this blog-site, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from DANTE
.jpeg)
0 Comments