The trial of a
former Chief
of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal
Alex S. Badeh, continued on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 before Justice Okon
Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja with the prosecution
witness, Mustapha Yerima, further stating how he was pressured by the
defendants to claim the property allegedly acquired with the proceeds of crime.
Badeh is standing trial alongside
Iyalikam Nigeria Limited for allegedly abusing his office as Chief of Defense
Staff by using the dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4billion (One Billion,
One Hundred Million Naira) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force
to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between January and December,
2013 - an offence which contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the
same Act.
At the resumed hearing, Yerima, who
had earlier testified as PW4, further testified to the effect that, Air
Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau (retd) had invited him over to the Defence
House, after his (Yushau's) retirement to coordinate the handover of documents
and discuss progress of construction of the plaza, then ongoing.
"In my evidence-in-chief, I
testified that PW1 (Yushau) called a meeting after he had retired from the
Nigerian Air Force. The meeting held at the Defence House and we discussed
progress of work in the plaza. Barrister Timothy Muje and Barrister Umar were
in attendance. I had met Barrister Umar once or twice before that meeting but
there isn't much familiarity between us.
"It was after this that
Barrister Muje called and asked that we both meet somewhere at Wuse II. This
was the same day the EFCC invited me to their office.
"Barrister Muje handed some
documents over to me but failed to give me (Ryte Builders) the power of
attorney which I asked him for.,” Yerima said.
Under cross-examination, Yerima
insisted that he was instructed by Yushau to claim the said property, when
operatives of the EFCC began to investigate the matter.
"The idea that was conveyed to
me by PW1 after their meeting was for me to go and claim the property as
instructed”, Yerima insisted.
The matter was adjourned to June 29,
2016 for continuation of trial.
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