A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday admitted 13 more exhibits tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the ongoing trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh.
Badeh is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside his company, Iyalikam Nigeria Ltd., for an alleged N1.4bn fraud while in office. He denies the accusation.
He is accused of stealing the dollar equivalent of the sum from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to buy property in choice areas of Abuja between January and December 2013.
According to the commission, the offence, contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The court had admitted in evidence two documents showing payments allegedly made to contractors working for the defendant, on Oct. 11.
The earlier exhibits were part of the testimony of the sixth prosecution witness, Air Commodore Mohammed Sinni, who is the Director of Finance and Accounts at the NAF headquarters.
During Thursday’s hearing, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), led the seventh prosecution witness, Oluwatoyin Oke, a business woman, in evidence.
The witness allegedly sold a choice property in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja to the defendant.
Oke reportedly told the court that she used to own and live in No. 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, until 2013 when she put it up for sale for N260m.
She stated that thereafter, one Abba Maidama contacted and informed her of an interested buyer.
A statement by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said, “Upon inspection of the property, Maidama further informed her that his client was ready to commence payment in three instalments.
“The witness told the court that the agent paid the first instalment of 550,000 U.S. dollars into her account.
“Upon receipt of the second and third instalment of N260m in dollars, Oke stated that she signed and handed over all the original documents and title deeds of the property.”
The documents, according to her, include Power of Attorney, Deed of Assignment and Deed of Sale.
The Prosecution counsel then asked the witness to confirm copies of the documents which were shown to her in court, and she did.
Thereafter, the documents were tendered and marked as exhibits D8 to D20 with no objection from the lead defense counsel, Akin Olujimi (SAN).
Olujimi reportedly declined an invitation to cross-examine the witness.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, then adjourned the case till Nov. 2 and 3 for continuation of hearing.
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