By National Mirror
Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions EFCC, has filed a 10-count charge against former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and his company, Iyalikam Nig. Ltd., before a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja. EFCC Deputy Director, Legal, Aliyu Yusuf, endorsed the charges, dated February 26, 2016, and bordered on criminal breach of trust and corruption.
The anti-graft agency, in the charge is specifically accusing Badeh of unlawfully using funds meant for the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, to purchase landed properties in choice areas in Abuja, between January and December 2013, while serving as Chief of Air Staff.
Badeh is likely to be arraigned today before Justice Okon Abang. In the charge, the antigraft agency alleged that Badeh, while serving as Chief of Air Staff and Iyalikam Nig. Ltd., between January and December 2013 did use dollar equivalent of N1.1 billion, removed from the accounts of NAF to purchase for themselves a mansion at Maitama, Abuja.
EFCC alleged that 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, 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 NAF, and did use dollar equivalent of N650 million to purchase a commercial plot at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone Ao7, Wuse II, Abuja.
The offence 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 the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Ltd. with Zenith Bank Plc., for the construction of a shopping mall in plot 1386, Cadastral Zone. It equally alleged that the defendants removed N304 million from the accounts of NAF and paid it to Rytebuilders for the completion of the shopping mall, adding that the accused also used N260 million dollar equivalent, removed from 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.
Meanwhile, Badeh yesterday explained his side of the $2.1 billion arms deal saga, known as Dasukigate. Badeh, in a statement titled: “I am being persecuted”, said he never had a hand in the $2.1 billion arms deal, adding that the claim by EFCC that he received $800,000 from the Director of Finance and Accounts was not true. He debunked the claim that five properties were acquired for him from the $2.1 billion funds. Badeh said: “It has been widely reported in the news that I am being investigated over the $2.1 billion arms deal but that is not true. I was not part of Dasukigate. “The claim that 5 properties were acquired for me from the $2.1 billion funds is also false.
Credit: National Mirror
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