Badeh: Yashau Brought N650m for Payment for Land for Shopping Complex – Witness

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A fourth prosecution witness (PW4), Engr. Mustapha Yerima, in the ongoing trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS), Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, told a Federal High Court on Tuesday that he received the sum of N650 million from Air Commodore Abdullahi Yashau which he used to pay for the plot of land for a shopping complex purportedly belonging to Badeh.

EFCC had accused Badeh of illegal diversion of funds belonging to the Nigerian Air Force.

Badeh, alongside his firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 10-count charge of money laundering and alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from NAF’s account.

The anti-graft agency accused Badeh of using the fund to buy and develop landed assets in Abuja for himself and two of his sons between January and December 2013.

He however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed trial, Yerima said he stood by his statement to the EFCC that the former Director of Finance and Accounts of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau (rtd.) made the sum of N650 million cash available for payment for Plot 1386, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, where the shopping mall was constructed for the former Defence Chief.

The defence, led by Akin Olujmi, SAN, had started by pointing out the contradiction in the witness’ evidence in chief as well as his statement at the EFCC.

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