A Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, in Kuje prison.
Badeh, who is standing trial on a 10-count charge bordering on fraud amounting to N4 billion, is to remain behind bars till March 10 when his bail application would be heard.
Justice Okon Abang gave the order after Badeh pleaded not guilty to the charges and the prosecution – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) – applied for his remand, pending commencement of trial.
The judge declined an application by Badeh’s lawyer that his client should be granted bail upon an earlier application filed for his release.
Okon held that it was novel in law for a defendant to file bail application prior to an arraignment.
It would be recalled that following his continuous incarceration by the EFCC during investigation, Badeh had filed the application for enforcement of his fundamental right.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that Badeh unlawfully used funds meant for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to purchase landed properties in choice areas in Abuja, while serving as Chief of Air Staff.
In the charge, the EFCC alleged that Badeh used Iyalikam Nig Ltd, a company believed to be owned by him, to misappropriate N1 billion in 2013.
It alleged that the money was removed from the accounts of the NAF to purchase for himself a mansion at Maitama, Abuja.
The offences, the EFCC said ran 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 alleged to have removed from the accounts of the NAF, and did use dollar equivalent of N650 million to purchase a commercial plot at 1386, Oda crescent Cadastral Zone Ao7, Wuse ll Abuja.
He was also alleged to have, between March and December 2013, in Abuja unlawfully removed N878.3m from NAF accounts.
The charge alleged that the amount was paid into account of Rytebuilders Technologies Ltd with Zenith Bank Plc for construction of his personal shopping mall at Plot 1386, Cadastral zone.
The ex-CDS was also alleged to have used the stolen money to purchase for his son, Alex Badeh (jnr), a duplex at No 19 Kumasi crescent Wuse Abuja.
Also, the defendant was alleged to have illegally withdrawn the sum of N90 million from NAF accounts to furnish the son’s house.
He was also alleged to have unlawfully taken N60m from the NAF accounts to renovate another property belonging to his son.
Some of the charges read:
“That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S Badeh (whilst being the chief of air staff, Nigerian air force) and Iyalikan Nigeria Limited, between January and December, 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use the dollar equivalent of the sum of N1, 100, 000, 000.00 (One billion, one hundred million naira only), removed from the accounts of the Nigeria air force, to purchase for yourselves a mansion situated at No 6 Ogun River street, off Danube street, Maitama, Abuja, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of proceed 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 Nigeria Air Force, to purchase for yourselves a commercial plot of land, situate 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 Iyalikan 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.”
