By STANLEY NWANOSIKE

The Nigerian Army has established a General Court Martial (GCM) for the trial of five officers and 20 soldiers within the jurisdiction of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu.

The offences of the accused army personnel included murder, defilement, manslaughter, extortion and assault on civilians.

Inaugurating the court martial on Tuesday in Enugu, President of the GCM, Brig.-Gen. Buhari Sadisu, said that the court was convened by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye.

Sadisu explained that court martial was one of the instruments used in the Armed Forces to maintain discipline.

He said, ?In Court Martial, military personnel alleged to have committed offences known to laws applicable to them are tried and if found guilty, punished in accordance to the laws criminalising such offences.

?However, where the prosecution failed to establish the allegations against them, the court will discharge and acquit the accused personnel.

He promised that the court martial would be guided by the principles of natural justice and fair hearing.

?It will also be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws and procedures related to the trial.?

The president said that the Court Martial would be free from any external influence and would afford the accused personnel adequate time and facility to defend themselves.

According to him, the court martial is fully aware of the cardinal principle of our criminal judicial system that an accused person is presumed innocent until the contrary is proven.

?Under our criminal justice system, it is better for 99 guilty persons to be set free than for one innocent person to be convicted.

Sadisu assured them that the Court Martial would strive to do justice in their cases by ensuring that evidence presented before the court were judiciously and fairly evaluated.

?This is to avoid a situation where an innocent person is made to suffer unjustly,? he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that regular court lawyers within Enugu also appeared for some of the accused personnel. (NAN)

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