Court sends ex-Defence Chief, Alex Badeh, to prison
Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:37:am National
2.7K By sosa hills
After a failed attempt by former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh to secure his release from the claws of the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) last Friday, the anti-graft agency on Monday arraigned Badeh on a 10 count charge.
The Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on February 29, filed the charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff and Iyalikam Nig Ltd, a company believed to be owned by him.
The charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and corruption, dated February 26, 2016 and endorsed by Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director, Legal, EFCC specifically accused the former Defence Chief of unlawfully using funds meant for the Nigerian Air Force to purchase landed properties in choice areas in Abuja, between January and December 2013, while serving as Chief of Air Staff.
At his arraignment on Monday, Badeh pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him.
Subsequently, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang remanded Badeh at Kuje Medium Prison in Abuja, pending the hearing of his bail application on March 10.
Justice Abang had earlier struck out the bail application that was filed ahead of Badeh's arraignment on March 2, 2016 by his lawyer, Samuel Zibiri (SAN).
In throwing away the earlier bail application, the court described the application as "incompetent", saying a bail request cannot be filed prior the arraignment of a defendant, and that the court can only assume jurisdiction in a criminal matter upon the arraignment of the defendant.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that Badeh, while serving as Chief of Air Staff and Iyalikam Nig Ltd, between January and December 2013 did use Dollar equipment of the sum of N1,100,000,000 (One billion, one hundred million Naira), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for themselves a mansion at Maitama, Abuja.
According to the anti graft agency, the accused person "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.
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.
Badeh and his company were also accused of removing from the accounts of the NAF, and did use Dollar equivalent of N650million 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.
The defendants were said to have between March 28 and December 2013, in Abuja did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 removed from NAF accounts and paid into account of Rytebuilders Technologies Ltd with Zenith bank plc for construction of a shopping mall in plot 1386, Cadastral zone.
It was equally alleged that the defendants removed the sum of N304m from the accounts of the NAF and paid it to Rytebuilders for the completion of the shopping mall.
In addition, the EFCC stated that the accused did use N260m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts and paid to one Oluwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase for his son, Alex Badeh (jnr), a duplex at No 19 Kumasi crescent Wuse Abuja.
Count six among others stated that Badeh used N60m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts to renovate his son's house, while count seven alleged that the retired Air Force Chief used N90m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts to furnish his son's house at Kumasi crescent.
The Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on February 29, filed the charge at the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff and Iyalikam Nig Ltd, a company believed to be owned by him.
The charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and corruption, dated February 26, 2016 and endorsed by Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director, Legal, EFCC specifically accused the former Defence Chief of unlawfully using funds meant for the Nigerian Air Force to purchase landed properties in choice areas in Abuja, between January and December 2013, while serving as Chief of Air Staff.
At his arraignment on Monday, Badeh pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him.
Subsequently, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang remanded Badeh at Kuje Medium Prison in Abuja, pending the hearing of his bail application on March 10.
Justice Abang had earlier struck out the bail application that was filed ahead of Badeh's arraignment on March 2, 2016 by his lawyer, Samuel Zibiri (SAN).
In throwing away the earlier bail application, the court described the application as "incompetent", saying a bail request cannot be filed prior the arraignment of a defendant, and that the court can only assume jurisdiction in a criminal matter upon the arraignment of the defendant.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that Badeh, while serving as Chief of Air Staff and Iyalikam Nig Ltd, between January and December 2013 did use Dollar equipment of the sum of N1,100,000,000 (One billion, one hundred million Naira), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for themselves a mansion at Maitama, Abuja.
According to the anti graft agency, the accused person "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.
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.
Badeh and his company were also accused of removing from the accounts of the NAF, and did use Dollar equivalent of N650million 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.
The defendants were said to have between March 28 and December 2013, in Abuja did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 removed from NAF accounts and paid into account of Rytebuilders Technologies Ltd with Zenith bank plc for construction of a shopping mall in plot 1386, Cadastral zone.
It was equally alleged that the defendants removed the sum of N304m from the accounts of the NAF and paid it to Rytebuilders for the completion of the shopping mall.
In addition, the EFCC stated that the accused did use N260m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts and paid to one Oluwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase for his son, Alex Badeh (jnr), a duplex at No 19 Kumasi crescent Wuse Abuja.
Count six among others stated that Badeh used N60m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts to renovate his son's house, while count seven alleged that the retired Air Force Chief used N90m Dollar equivalent removed from the NAF accounts to furnish his son's house at Kumasi crescent.
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