Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, while arguing against the bail application of Badeh, asked the court to refuse the bail request, and order an accelerated hearing of the case instead.
He contended that the evidence against the defendant was strong, revealing that from a certain property, owned by Badeh, the EFCC discovered $1m in cash, hence “he might want to jump bail in order not face this shame.”
The prosecution counsel, who noted that Badeh had the tendency to “disappear” instead of staying to stand trial, held that the defendant might influence witnesses, who are his junior in the military, adding that “a big man should not avoid incarceration because of his status.”
In an earlier submission, the defence lawyer, Samuel Zibiri had told the court that his client was a “perfect gentleman,” and that he had not “misconducted” himself anyway.
He said that the EFCC had granted Badeh administrative bail on two occasions, but that he could not meet the bail conditions.
The counsel told the court that the former Defence chief had no criminal record in his 35 years of service, stressing that the offence his client was alleged to have committed is a bailable one.
He, therefore, prayed the court to grant the accused bail on self-recognition just as Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, did for the immediate past Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly swindling job seekers.
