The witness, Nuhu Dalhatu, made this disclosure on May 3, 2017
while being cross-examined by Lasun Sanusi, SAN, who held brief for Badeh’s
counsel, Akin Olujimi, SAN, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High
Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Badeh is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Limited on a 10-count charge of
money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption.
He allegedly abused his office as CDS by using the 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 between January and
December, 2013.
Dalhatu, a forensic analyst of the EFCC, had earlier told the
court that, the analysis of NAF statements of accounts, as well as key
revelations by a NAF financial officer, Squadron Leader Emmanuel Abu, proved
useful in investigations.
According to him, “investigations revealed that Barrister Hussaini
Umar sold properties at the behest of Air Commodore Yushau, on behalf of Badeh,
which title documents and power of attorney Umar said he had submitted to
Barrister Timothy Muje, the company secretary to Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, for
endorsement.
“The Commission made efforts to invite Barrister Muje, but he
failed to turn up. We made attempts to arrest him only to find out that he had
absconded through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport for Dubai.”
Dalhatu further revealed that the investigating team executed a
search warrant on one of Badeh’s properties at 6, Ogun River Crescent, Maitama,
Abuja, and discovered two unaddressed waybills, exhibits T104 and T105.
When asked by Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, counsel to EFCC, to shed more
light on the ownership of the waybills, Dalhatu said, “the two waybills were
discovered in a room filled with furniture and were from a Kaduna-based
furniture company, Almuhansay. In our interview with the managing director of
Almuhansay, he said that while on one of his business trips, importing
furniture from Dubai, he did not fill up his container and was approached by
Mrs. Mary Iyah Badeh, who requested that he convey goods to Abuja for her.
“On arrival of the goods, he (MD, Almuhansay) said that he left
the waybills unaddressed due to its sensitivity, and gave it to his driver for
delivery. Mrs. Badeh’s furniture were marked ‘Badeh 1-9’.”
After re-examination on new issues raised, the case was adjourned
to May 16, 17 and 18 for further hearing.
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