The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed an appeal filed by the Nigerian Army, which sought to overturn the acquittal of Major Akeem Oseni, who had been convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of Lance Corporal Benjamin Collins. Oseni was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison by a General Court Martial in 2020 after an incident in 2017, where he and other officers were involved in disciplining Collins, a soldier accused of attempting a jailbreak. While Oseni had stopped the disciplinary session early and sought further action, Collins later died from complications related to leg cuffs.
After his conviction, Oseni appealed the ruling, and the Court of Appeal overturned the judgment, declaring him innocent. However, the Nigerian Army challenged this decision at the Supreme Court, aiming to reinstate his conviction. Unfortunately for the Army, the appeal was dismissed due to procedural issues. Specifically, the Army failed to compile and transmit the necessary records to the court. Justice Uwani Aji, who delivered the lead judgment, confirmed that the appeal was dismissed due to these lapses in procedure. Consequently, Oseni’s acquittal stands, as the Army’s appeal was not properly filed.
