Court Sentences Woman To 7-Months In Jail For Impersonating Army General

A Karu Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced one Rose John of Bwari, Abuja, to seven months imprisonment for impersonating an Army Major.

She was convicted on a two-count bordering on wearing a dress meant for public servants, offences she admitted committing.

The prosecution alleged that John had been parading herself as a Major in the Nigerian Army with official regalia and epaulettes, before her arrest.


She was sentenced to seven months imprisonment, as the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 132 and 133 of the Penal code.

The judge, Mr Hassan Ishaq, however, gave the convict N 30,000 option of fine, with a warning to desist from committing any further offence.

Ishaq also advised her to be law abiding and to learn a trade or go back to school if need be.

He ordered that all recovered items from the defendant should be destroyed immediately.

The prosecutor, Mamuud Ismail, had told the court that earlier this month; the FCT Police Command received a petition from Army Guards Brigade Headquarters, Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja, about the convict.

He said: “ On the 11th of this month, the defendant was arrested at the Bwari Area Council of the FCT dressed in a full Nigerian Army camouflage uniform decorated with the rank of a Major.’’

The prosecutor told the court that she was saluted by some army officers who were on duty around the area where she was arrested, but could not respond appropriately.

He said that during subsequent police investigations, it was discovered that she once run a pharmacy, in Bwari town and impersonated as a nurse.

Ismail added that during interrogation she confessed that the uniform belonged to a late friend with whom she had a close relationship.

(NAN)