The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday accused a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, of diverting about N4 billion from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to purchase properties in different locations in the country.
The anti-graft agency had filed a 10-count criminal charge bothering on diversion of funds, among others. There are strong indications that the Federal Government will today arraign Badeh before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Twenty witnesses have been lined up to testify against him in court. A source close to the court, who prefers anonymity, said that Badeh will be arraigned before Justice Okon Abang. In the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/46/2016 and signed by the Deputy Director of Legal and Prosecution Department at the EFCC, Mr. Aliyu M. Yusuf, Iyilikam Nigeria Limited was joined as second defendant.
The anti-graft agency had alleged in the charge that Badeh, while being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force and Iyilikam Nigeria Limited, between January and December 2013, used dollar equivalent of the sum of N1,100,000,000.00 removed from the accounts of NAF to purchase a mansion situated at No. 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja. It further alleged that Badeh ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity.
The offence is contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act. Badeh and his company were also accused of removing from the accounts of the NAF, and did use dollar equivalent of N650 million to purchase a commercial plot at plot 1386, Oda crescent Cadastral zone A07 Wuse ll Abuja.
The offence, the EFCC said, is contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. More so, the EFCC alleged that the accused did use N260 million dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts and paid to one Oluwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase for his son, Alex Badeh (jnr), a duplex at No 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse, Abuja.
The prosecution had also listed about 20 witnesses it is presenting in the course of the trial. The witnesses include individuals, investigative officers of the EFCC, Air Force personnel,
Representative of the Office of the National Security Adviser ONSA. Others are representatives of three banks.
The charge against Badeh reads:
*That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N1,100,000,000 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a mansion situate at No. 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceed of unlawful activity.
*That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N650,000,000 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a commercial plot of land situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between 28th March and 5th December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 removed from the accounts of the NAF and paid into the account of Rytebuiilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc. for the construction of a shopping mall situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for yourself.
*That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N304,000,000 removed from the accounts of the NAF and paid into Rytebuilders Technologies Limited to complete the construction for yourselves a shopping mall situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force), Alex Badeh Jnr. (at large) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N260,000,000 removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Oluwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase for Alex Badeh Jnr. (the son of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh) a duplex situate at No. 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force), Alex Badeh Jnr. (at large) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N60 million removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Kabiru Sallau/Platinum Universal Project and Construction to renovate for Alex Badeh Jnr. (the son of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh) a duplex situate at No. 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force), Alex Badeh Jnr. (at large) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use the sum of N90 million removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Platinum Universal Project and Construction to furnish for Alex Badeh Jnr. (the son of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh) a duplex situate at No. 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use the sum of $2,000,000 equivalent of the sum of N330,000,000 removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Honourable Bature to purchase for your selves a Duplex situate at No. 14, Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December, 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N240,000,000 removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to purchase for yourselves a semi-detached duplex situate at No. 8A, Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment Wuse II, Abuja.
*That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Defence Staff) and Alex Badeh Jnr. (at large) sometime in April, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N62 million removed from the accounts of NAF and paid to Kabiru Sallau/Platinum Universal Projects to renovate a private property situate at No. 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
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