A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of former, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh (rtd.), Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau, has told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that he kept no personal records to prove all the cash transaction made between him and Badeh.
The witness, a former director of Finance, Nigerian Air Force, who was cross-examined by the defence counsel, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN), however, told the court that the command finance officer whose duty it was to keep record has all the records of the amount of the dollar equivalent he handed to Badeh at his official residence on monthly basis and other transactions.
The EFCC is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10- count charge of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from NAF’s account.
Badeh served as the Chief of Air Staff before he was elevated to the position of the Chief of Defence Staff till he retired from the military last year.
During the trial yesterday, the witness told the court that he couldn’t remember the exact amount of money he gave to Badeh during the course of their transaction.
“I cannot remember the exact amount of dollar equivalent that I gave to Badeh in Nov, 2012, and other cash transactions we had because it was not my duty to keep records.
“All the records of the cash transaction are there in the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) command finance account office. My command finance officer wrote a statement at the EFCC and I am sure the records are there in his statement.“I did not include this in my statement because I was responding to the EFCC agents based on their line of questioning.
“The records of all these details I still maintain are with the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) command, finance account,” he said.
When asked on how monies were disbursed to the command, he said he did not know how the budget was being processed.
“Where allocation was made to all NSF formations, the money is disbursed to all the formations and my deputy finance officer was in charge of our allocation.
“If there is any need for finance in our directorate, he writes to me and I approve where the approval is taken to the NAF headquarters camp in Abuja.
“And after the expenditure is carried out, he makes his retirement to the office of the command, finance officer at NAF headquarters Abuja.
“I was the accounting officer for the directorate that was why I approve for every expenditure for the directorate.”
The matter has been adjourned to 19, April 2016 for further cross examination and continuation of trial.
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