Former Chief of Air Staff, COAS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (rtd), who is facing trial along Iyalikam Nigeria Limited on a 10-
count charge bordering on money
laundering, was in court Tuesday.
At the resumed hearing of the case Tuesday, a witness of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Dalhatu, told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja how monies
were being disbursed from the accounts of the Nigeria Air Force, NAF, on Badeh’s order.
Dalhatu, an operative of the EFCC, under cross-examination by Badeh’s counsel, Akin Olujimi, SAN, narrated to the court how
investigations had revealed records of large volumes of cash disbursements from the
NAF accounts, which was carefully recorded by a cashier in the NAF’s Directorate of Finance and Accounts, Squadron Leader,
Emmanuel Abu.
According to him,
“We invited Air Commodore Sinni, a finance officer at NAF to shed more light on the matter. He, however, requested that we interview Squadron Leader Emma Abu, the cashier, stating that Abu had recorded all cash withdrawals and movements of funds. By the time Abu arrived, we requested for his records.
Analysing the records, we were able to identify consecutive payments made monthly, between January – August, 2013 in favour of Ryte Builders Nigeria Limited and Habco Construction Limited, duly captioned as part of N558.2m meant for the COAS. It was this, as well as bank records, that we used to trace payments.
It was further revealed that, of a sum total of between N1.2billion and N1.6billion released every month for the payment of NAF officers’ salaries and stipends, N558.2million was set
aside for the COAS every month.
Abu converted this sum to dollar
equivalent and handed it over to Sinni for onward transferral to Badeh.
From the balance, Abu was able to
account for the projects executed
which include the NAF Secondary
School in Yola, Adamawa State; NAF conference hall in Jabi, Abuja and others in Kaduna and Makurdi,
AirForce Barracks”, Dalhatu stated.
He further revealed that when the
investigation team interviewed Engr Mustapha Yerima, Managing Director of Ryte Builders Nigeria Limited, he (Yerima) initially denied having done any contract
with NAF, but later changed his tune after being confronted with evidence to the
contrary.
“Series of e-mails between Kabiru
Salawu, Mustapha Yerima, Alex Badeh Jnr, one Architecet Saka and another US-based architect regarding the development of Badeh’s shopping mall were also discovered”, Dalhatu
added.
Earlier in his evidence-in-chief, Dalhatu had narrated how events led to discoveries of
various choice properties allegedly purchased, constructed and/or renovated for Badeh, including 6, Ogun River Street,
Maitama; 14, Azdope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2 and 8a, Temple Street, Wuse 2, Abuja. The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 3, 2017 for
further hearing.
