A Prosecution Witness in the ongoing trial of the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd.), yesterday told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that he kept no personal records to prove all the cash transactions made between him and Badeh.
The witness, a former Director of Finance, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau (rtd.) who was cross examined by the defence counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), however, told the court that the Command’s finance officer whose duty it was to keep records has all the records of the amount of the dollar equivalent he handed over to Badeh at his official residence on monthly basis and other transactions. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Badeh, alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10-count of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97 billion from NAF’s account.
The anti-graft agency accused Badeh of using the fund to buy and develop landed assets in Abuja for himself and two sons between January and December 2013. Badeh served as the Chief of Air Staff before he was elevated to the position of the Chief of Defence Staff till he retired from the military last year. At the resumed hearing yesterday, Yushau told the court during cross-examination that he cannot remember the exact amount of money he gave to Badeh during the course of their transaction.
“I cannot remember the exact amount of dollar equivalent that I gave to Badeh in November 2012 and other cash transactions we had because it was not my duty to keep records. “All the records of the cash transaction are there in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) command finance account office. My command finance officer wrote a statement at the EFCC and I am sure the records are there in his statement,” he added. He also maintained that the sum of N90 million was used for the purpose of furnishing a property belonging to Alex Badeh Junior, but added that he did not include it in the statement he made at the EFCC.
Yushau said: “The total sum of N90 million was used to purchase and furnish a property belonging to Alex Badeh (Junior). “I did not include this in my statement because I was responding to the EFCC agents based on their line of questioning.
“The records of all these details, I still maintain are with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) command, finance account,” he said. When asked on how monies were disbursed to the command, he said he did not know how the budget was being processed.
“Where allocation were made to all NSF formations, the money is disbursed to all the formations and my deputy finance officer was in charge of our allocation. “If there is any need for finance in our directorate, he writes to me and I approve where the approval is taken to the NAF headquarters camp in Abuja. “And after the expenditure is carried out, he makes his retirement to the office of the command, finance officer at NAF headquarters Abuja.
“I was the accounting officer for the directorate, that was why I approved every expenditure for the directorate.” The court, however, adjourned to April 19 for further cross-examination and continuation of trial. 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 Ao7 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.
