A former Director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushua (rtd), yesterday revealed how the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd), diverted public fund to purchase properties for himself and his children. Yushua, a Prosecution Witness, told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that Badeh bought a N1.1 billion property for himself and N770 million properties for his two sons in Abuja with the money belonging to the Nigerian Air Force. Badeh is being tried over alleged diversion of about N3.9 billion belonging to NAF. The witness told the court that the money was diverted by the former CDS between 2012 and 2014.

In his testimony, Yushua told the court that Badeh instructed him to buy houses for two of his sons in a highbrow area of Abuja. According to him, the former defence chief in-structed him to look for choice property for his first son, Alex Badeh jr., because he wanted him to own a house.

The witness claimed that Badeh bought a house at Wuse 2 at N260 million for his first son, renovated it with N60 million and furnished it with N90 million. He also said that when Badeh’s second son turned down a house worth N340 million, a second house had to be bought for N330 million. “My chief also told me he wanted his second son, Kam, to own a house. The name of the owner of the house is Isiaka Rabiu. “I told him the price of the house was about N340 million.

He directed me to pay. I paid the dollar equivalent of the money to Rabiu. The money was from the normal amount I take to my chief monthly. “When Kam saw the house, he didn’t like it. When my chief saw it, he said we should look for another one.

“One evening, I was sitting in my house. One Hon. Bature called and requested me to see him. He was then living at Kumasi Crescent at Wuse 2. When I saw him, he told me he wanted to sell his house. He was building another house somewhere.

“He requested me to find someone who can buy the house. I told my chief (Badeh) and he said he wouldn’t like Hon. Bature to know that he was the one buying. “I told him we could use Barrister Useni Umar. I told Useni that my chief would like to buy a house, but he wouldn’t want the buyer to know he is the one buying.

“I took Useni to Hon. Bature as an agent. After two days, the barrister told me he had concluded negotiation with Bature and that he had agreed to sell the house for N330 million. “My chief directed that I should pay for the house.

I took the equivalent of N330 million in dollar, which was deducted from his (Badeh’s) own money, and effected the payment. “I collected the title documents for the house and handed them over to my chief,” he added.

Speaking further, the witness told the court that NAF is funded through budgetary allocation under capital, overhead and personal monument subheads and that the amount budgeted and approved for NAF each year varies, but said they receive a little above N4 billion monthly for personal emolument only.

“We usually receive a little above N4 billion monthly for personal emolument, however, our total wage bill as at that time was over N2 billion including salaries and allowances. After salaries and allowances are paid, we usually have a balance of about N1.6 billion or N1.7 billion monthly.

“Out of the amount, the sum of N558 million is usually earmarked for Chief of Air Staff’s control while the balance is disbursed to Commands and directorate unit for priority projects and training,” the witness told the court.

Yushua further stated that the former CDS instructed that the N558 million should be changed into dollar denomination and he, in turn, directed the finance officer to convert it into dollars. He, however, told the court that he had no written instruction because it was verbal instruction.

He further told the court that every month, he and the finance officer take the sum in dollar to Badeh’s residence at Niger Barrack, Abuja. He said in January 2013, Badeh told him that he wanted to buy a house and he made inquiry and got a house in Ogun Street, Maitama, through a friend. According to his evidence, Badeh inspected the house and paid N1.1 billion to purchase it after being satisfied with the property.

“He directed that we should pay for the house after negotiation was completed. He brought the balance to make up N1.1 billion and I gave the money to Barrister Hussein Umar, who sold the house on behalf of the owner,” he added.

According to the witness, when Umar asked in whose name the house document should be prepared, he said it should be prepared in the name of Iyalikan Nig. Ltd, a company, which the commission said Badeh has interest.

The witness further stated that sometime in 2013, Badeh also approached him that he needed a plot and an engineer was brought, who sighted Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Wuse 2, which was later paid for at the cost of N650 million after being satisfied.

Earlier, the court had refused an application by Badeh seeking to stop further hearing on the 10-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred against him. Badeh, through his counsel, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him on the basis of the charge, which he said was grossly defective.

In his application dated March 15, Badeh argued that the charge did not disclose any offence known to Money Laundering Act, insisting that the charge lacked legal validity. However, counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), urged the court to disregard the application, saying it was a deliberate ploy by the defendant to stall the commencement of his trial. Jacobs argued that sections 221 and 396(2) of the ACJA, 2015, provided that any objection challenging jurisdiction of the court or validity of a criminal charge must be considered alongside the substantive case.

He contended that it was late in the day for Badeh to raise the objection since his trial has already commenced. In his ruling, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, held that there are laid down procedures for the prosecution of criminal cases under the ACJA. “Having regards to section 396(2) of the ACJA, the application can only be considered alongside the substantive issue and ruling delivered along with judgement on the matter.

“Section 221 of ACJA said objection shall not be entertained during proceeding or trial on the ground that a charge is defective. The court can only entertain and make findings on the application at the end of the proceeding and ruling delivered when the matter is decided.

“Right of the defendant to be heard has been preserved till the end of the proceeding. It would have been a different matter if this is a civil matter or if it was raised before the enactment of the ACJA. As at today, the law has changed. “The application is hereby refused.

The prosecution is hereby directed to call its first witness for the trial to commence now,” the judge held. The court later adjourned to March 23 for continuation of trial. The court had earlier admitted Badeh to bail in the sum of N2 billion with two sureties in the sum of N1 billion each. Badeh is, however, yet to perfect his bail condition.