BREAKING NEWS, Judiciary
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission drags Air Marshal Badeh to court, accusing him of stealing N3.9 Billion from the accounts of Nigerian Air Forces between January and December 2013
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has slammed a 10-count charge of money laundering against Air Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd), immediate past chief of defence staff, alleging that he removed N3.9 billion from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between January and December 2013.
Badeh, who has been in EFCC custody since February 8, is charged before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, along with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited.
The anti-graft agency in the charge document with reference number FHC/ABJ/CR/46, 2016, accused Badeh and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited of spending the total sum of N3,974,362,732.94, on acquisition, construction, renovation, furnishing of various properties, including a shopping mall in many choice areas of Abuja.
The document signed by Aliyu Yusuf, deputy director, Legal and Prosecution Department, EFCC, stated some of the properties were purchased, renovated and furnished for the son of the former CDS, Alex Badeh (Jnr.).
The alleged properties are a mansion at No. 6, Ogun River Street, off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, which the defendants were said to have purchased with N1.1billion, a commercial plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, bought with N650 million; paid N878 million for the construction of a shopping mall at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, and another sum of N304million to complete the construction.
The others are the duplex at No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, purchased for N260 million and renovated with N60 million and furnished with N90 million, payment of N330 million to one Honourable Bature to purchase a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
They were also accused of paying N240million to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to buy a semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment, Wuse II, Abuja, renovating a private property at No. 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N62million.
The EFCC alleged that the various sums of money were part of proceeds of Badeh’s unlawful activities, which it said constituted a “criminal breach of trust and corruption”.
The money laundering charges are said to be 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.
The charges stated: “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 (one billion, one hundred million naira only) 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 your reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence 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.
“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 (Six hundred and fifty million naira only), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force, to purchase for yourselves a commercial plot of land, situated at Plot 1386 Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence 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.
“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 an aggregate 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), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid into the account of Rytebuilders 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 yourselves, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence 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.’’
Prior to Badeh’s arraignment on Wednesday, March 2, Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had on Monday fixed Friday, March 4, for ruling on Badeh’s bail application.
- Mar 3, 2016 @ 9:00 GMT
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