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Molly Kilete, Abuja
The General Court Martial (GCM) set up by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to try the Aide De Camp (ADC) to the late former Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, and six personnel attached to the former CDS would resume sitting today.
The GCM, which was set up about one month ago, was inaugurated after the joint investigative committee set up to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing of the former CDS, who was also a one time Chief Of the Air Staff concluded its sitting and submitted its report.
The committee headed by Major General Shafa had told a press conference that the committee would hand over all the suspects to their respective services for further investigation.
It was gathered that while the NAF personnel were handed over to its authorities, the civilians amongst them were handed over to the police.
The officers who are being tried for dereliction of duty believed to have being responsible for the untimely death of the deceased among other charges, have being in custody since the day of the incidence on December 19, 2019.
Badeh was killed by gunmen who broke into his convoy on the Abuja/Keffi road while returning from his farm on the fateful day.
It was gathered that the court martial, which is sitting at an undisclosed venue for security reasons would conclude sitting soon.
A source who does not want be mentioned in print, denied speculations that the NAF was conducting a secret trial of the accused personnel, saying no military can carry out a secret court martial on its personnel as the court martial is like a high court where one can challenge the outcome in an open court.
The source further stated that a court martial could not be done secretly as the accused are allowed to get civil lawyers to defend them.
The source said: “What happened was that first, there was an investigation so they shouldn’t compare investigation with court martial because the investigation will finish first.
“And based on the investigation, it was realized that they have a case to answer and because it was known that they have a case to answer that they were made to face a court martial. And the court martial is what is sitting currently. The court martial is not a hidden thing, it is very open, everybody knows it is there, just that it would sit and adjourn.
“The location of a court martial must be convenient where you can have all the things that you need and where people can easily gain access to and must be very secured. But the truth is that if you are somebody that has a role to play in the court, they will allow you to come in.”
