$1million Was Found In Ex-Air Force Chief’s Apartment- Witness

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has testified in court as a witness, confirming that a sum of $1million was found in the bedroom of Alex Badeh, former Chief of Air Staff.

The witness Anna Akuson said this in the N3.9 billion fraud trial involving, on Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Akuson testified as PW20, said that the money was found in a wardrobe at the upper apartment of the building located at No. 6 Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja during a search.

Akuson said: “I am a cameraman working with the EFCC. On February 24, 2016, I was assigned to go on a search with some operatives. The team leader told me the properties (we were to search) belong to Alex Badeh.

“On reaching the place, I started my recording from outside. In the master bedroom (upstairs), we found a travelling bag covered with a pillow-case in the wardrobe. We opened the travelling bag and found US dollars inside. We brought the bag down and the money was counted.

“After the search, we returned to the office and I copied the visual from my camera to a hard drive, after which I burned it to a DVD disc”.

Mr. Badeh is facing trial alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N3.9billion.

Between January and December, 2013,he allegedly used dollar equivalent of N1.4 billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase a mansion situated at No. 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja.

However, the defence counsel told the court it was first time he would hear about the certificate of identification and the DVD disc of the recording.

He relied on Section 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Mr. Olujimi argued, “I am for the first time seeing these documents in court now that the Registrar handed them over to me.

“There is no doubt that the prosecutor did not include these two documents in the information he filed before this court. That means we have been deprived of the rights of an accused person by the law. These two documents ought to have accompanied the information which the court has”.

Olujimi further applied that the next date of hearing, which is March 1 be vacated to enable the defence study the documents and prepare their defence.

Consequently, Justice Abang of Abuja federal high court adjourned the case to March 14 for continuation of trial.