Political Briefs
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A FEDERAL high court in Abuja has granted Alex Badeh, a retired chief air marshal and former chief of Defence Staff, a N2 billion bail.
Judge Okon Abang asked Badeh to present two Abuja-based sureties with N1 billion each, in addition to surrendering his international passport.
Badeh is being accused of receiving N3.9 billion as part of $2.1 billion arms money allegedly diverted by Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel and former national security adviser. He has denied all the allegations against him.
Besides, on Thursday, March 10, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said it recovered $1 million from Badeh’s apartment, a claim the former defence chief strongly denied.
Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, prosecuting counsel, said the money was found in one of the properties confiscated from the former defence chief.
But Samuel Zibiri, counsel to Badeh, said the claim was to seek “media hype.”
Zibiri said his client argued that as a retired defence chief and retired chief air marshal, Badeh would not jump bail, and should be granted bail without conditions, following from the example of Abba Moro, former Interior minister.
The counsel argued that the condition of the prison facility, where his client was kept, was unfavourable.
Jacobs argued against bail for Badeh, saying a strong case had been established against him.
He referred the court to pages 76 and 99 of the proof of evidence before it, saying the pages show how Badeh instructed the director of finance of the Nigerian Air Force to convert public funds to dollars for use in purchasing a property for Badeh.
“My lord, the first property was bought for at N1.4 billion and the finance director paid for it,” Jacobs said.
“$1 million was recovered from the property; we will tender it as evidence,” he added.
Jacobs said it was likely for Badeh to jump bail in view of the evidences against him. He also said Badeh had not met conditions for bail on health grounds.
But the judge overruled the argument and granted bail to Badeh.
— Mar 21, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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