12 soldiers appeal death sentence for mutiny

The soldiers were convicted on September 15 in Abuja, by a General Court Martial headed by Brig.-Gen. N.C. Okonkwo .
The convicts are praying the court to stop the Nigerian Army from carrying out the verdict pending the determination of the appeal.
The appellants said that the court martial erred and misdirected itself by sentencing them to death based on mere suspicion.
Their appeal papers viewed by Daily Trust yesterday argued that the circumstantial evidence relied upon to convict them were not strong and cogent.
There are eight separate appeals filed at the Court and the legal teams included Senior Advocate of Nigeria like Ameh Ebute, a  former Senate President.
Different appeals were filed separately on behalf Corporal (Cpl.) Emefike Micheal, CPL. Amadi Chukwudi and CPL. Stephen Clement.
A separate appeal was filed for Corporal Jasper Braidolor, Corporal Friday Onun, L/CPL Igomu Emmanuel, PTE Andrew Ngbede, PTE Ifeanyi Alukhagbe, PTE Alao Samuel and PTE Allan Linus.
A 12-paragraph affidavit in support of one of the appeals deposed to by Emmanuel Agada  the soldiers are demanding for a review of the verdict of the court martial.
The convicts are said to have been moved to military facilities in Lagos and Kainji in Niger State where they are being kept in underground cells.
No date has been fixed to hear the appeal.