The arraignment of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) was on Thursday differed till March 7 by an Abuja Federal High Court due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang.
Badeh was expected to enter his plea to the 10-count criminal charge preferred against him by the EFCC, but could not, as Justice Abang was said to have traveled.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had accused Badeh of allegedly diverting over N3bn from the accounts of the Nigerian Air force to purchase choice properties within highbrow areas in Abuja.
The commission equally cited a firm, Iyalikam Nigerian Limited, as the 2nd defendant in the charge bordering on money laundering, corruption and criminal breach of trust.
According to the charge dated February 26, EFCC alleged that, “Badeh had between “January and December, 2013, used dollar equivalent of the sum of N650m, to purchase a commercial plot of land situated at plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone, A07, Wuse II, Abuja.
The charge reads, “Badeh between March 28 and December 5, 2013, paid the sum of N878, 362, 732, 94 (Eight Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira, Ninety-Four Kobo) which he removed from the account of the Nigerian Air Force, into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc, for the construction of a shopping mall on the plot.
The charge also claimed that the former military Chief diverted another dollar equivalent of N304m to the firm, Rytebuilders Technologies Limited, for the completion of the shopping mall.
“In count five of the charge, alleged that Badeh used dollar equivalent of the sum of N260m which he removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid to one Ouwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase a duplex for his son, Alex Badeh Jnr., it said the defendant further used N60m to renovate the property situate at No 19 Kumai Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
“In count-seven of the charge that Badeh used N90m to furnish the said duplex he bought for his son. The commission told the court that Badeh Jnr. was on the run. Besides, EFCC, in count-eight of the charge, alleged that the defendant used the sum of $2m, equivalent of the sum of N330m, which he removed from the coffers of the Nigerian Air Force, and paid one honourable Bature to purchase another duplex for him at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, as well as gave one Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu the dollar equivalent of the sum of N240m to purchase a semi-detached duplex at No 8A Embu Street, for him.”
Comments