“Supreme Court Dismisses Nigerian Army’s Appeal Over Major Oseni’s Manslaughter Acquittal”

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by the Nigerian Army that sought to overturn the acquittal of Major Akeem Oseni, who was initially convicted of manslaughter in relation to the death of a junior colleague, Lance Corporal Benjamin Collins.

Oseni had originally been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a General Court Martial on February 7, 2020, after being convicted of manslaughter for his role in the 2017 incident involving Collins, who had been accused of attempting a jailbreak. During the disciplinary session, Oseni intervened early, counseling Collins and ensuring that a superior officer addressed the matter further. Later, Oseni learned that Collins was struggling with his leg cuffs and promptly sought medical attention, transporting Collins to the Defence Headquarters Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Following a court-martial, Oseni was convicted, though Captain S. Amosu, one of his co-accused officers, was acquitted at sentencing. Two other officers, Major Osawe and Lieutenant Dogary, were later discharged and acquitted by the Army Council in November 2020.

Dissatisfied with his conviction, Oseni appealed the decision, and in a major victory, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling, declaring Oseni innocent. However, the Nigerian Army, dissatisfied with the outcome, appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, seeking to reinstate the original conviction.

The Army’s appeal was plagued by procedural issues, including its failure to compile and transmit the necessary records. On Wednesday, Justice Uwani Aji delivered the lead judgment, ruling that the application filed by the Army on October 9, 2023, to dismiss the appeal for procedural lapses was granted as prayed. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, and the Court upheld Oseni’s acquittal.

Oseni’s legal team, led by David Ogundipe, Abdulwahab Abdulakeem, Aisha Okuribido, and Oluwafemi Oluwadamisi, celebrated the ruling as a victory for justice. The case marks the final legal resolution in a long and contentious battle for Major Oseni, whose conviction has now been officially overturned by the highest court in Nigeria.