Arms deal: I Received N108m from Badeh ---witness
(Nigeria) At the resumed trial of a former Chief of Defence
Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, on Tuesday, the fourth prosecution
witness, PW4, Mustapha Yerima, told Justice Okon Abang of a Federa lHigh Court
sitting Abuja how he was paid the sum of N108million through Badeh’s company,
Vetivo Nigeria Limited.
Yerima whose testimony started yesterday stated that, the
process of the payment came through a third party.
According to Yerima, “The payment that came through a third
party is as a result of the meeting between myself, Air Comodore Yushau (a
retired Air Commodore and former director of finance and account) and Badeh.
This was prior to my meeting with Air Commodore Yushau and Barrister Timothy
Muje. At the meeting, Yushau introduced
Timothy to me as the lawyer to Air Chief Marshall Badeh since he (Yushau) was
retiring. He said I should transfer all the necessary documents to the lawyer
(Timothy).’’
He stated that, “Yushau came to the said meeting with
prepared Deed of Assignment and Power of Attorney with his company’s name and
another document transferring the title from Ryte Builders to Edile
Construction Company. He was given a copy to sign and he did. He said he handed
over to Timothy, the original Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, and the Deed of
Assignment.”
After the transfer of the documents, Yerima claimed that he received
the sum of N108 million.
“I received an alert from one Vetivo Nigerian Limited. I called Badeh and he confirmed that
Vetivo Nigeria Limited was his and he instructed that the money be paid into my
company’s account,” Yerima revealed. He further narrated how Badeh out of fear
changed his mind from the property that he earlier wanted to acquire for the
construction of his shopping mall at Aminu Kano Crescent and opted for the one
located at the Wuse 2 District of Abuja.According to Yerima, when the
transactions were no longer clear to him, and he was denied access to thePower
of Attorney he had earlier given to Badeh and his men, he became agitated and
decided to tell the EFCC all that he knew about Badeh and the property he
acquired which costs about N1.8billion including the land.
’’I was confronted with some chilling evidences, so many
documents like the copies of drawings, list of quantity survey, statement of
accounts and so many other documents related to the account including e-mail
correspondences. At that point, I had
nothing to say, but to tell the EFCC exactly the way things happened,” Yerima
said.
The PW4, also narrated how the Nigerian Airforce Conference
Centre was constructed.
He said,”the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre was
constucted in the name of Edile Construction Company. The company operates
separate accounts and all paymets for the construction of the ConferenceCentre
go to the company’s account in UBA, Keystone and StanbicIBTC bank.”
He added that, all payments made to Ryte Builders in respect
of the mall were made to Ryte’s Builders account with Zenith bank.
At this point, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN
told the court that he discovered just yesterday that the witness made
additional statement which he had served on the first and second defense
counsels.
Badeh’s counsel, Akin Olujimi, SAN,said, ”for me to be able
to cross examine the witness, I will have to digest this additional proof to
see how it affects our understanding of the prosecution.”
Counsel to the second defendant, S. T. Ologunorisa, SAN,
also aligned himself with Olujimi’s position.
Consequently, Justice Abangadjourned to June 14, 15 and 16,
2016for further hearing.
Badeh, while being the CDS, among other things allegedly
abused his office between January and December, 2013. He allegedly used dollar
equivalent of the sum of N1.4billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air
Force to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja.
The offence is in contravention of Section 15 (2) (d) of the
Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under
Section 15(3) of the same Act.
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