A Federal High Court in Abuja heard yesterday that the monthly diversion of N558.2 million from the salary account of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) by former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd), predates the latter’s tenure.
A former Director of Finance and Account of NAF, Air Commodore Aliyu Yishau (retd), told the court that the practice had become a tradition in NAF and that he served Badeh’s predecessor, Mohammed Dikko Umar, who also engaged in the unethical practice.
Yishau, who testified yesterday in the trial of Badeh, said the diversion was always done under the sub-head ‘General Administration of the Chief of Air Staff’.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is currently prosecuting Badeh and a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited on a 10-count of money laundering, in which the former Air Chief is accused of diverting N3.97 billion belonging to NAF, which he allegedly used in buying choice property through the firm.
The former NAF finance director had last week testified that he assisted Badeh to divert N558.2 million, which he always converted to dollar before handing same to Badeh at his official residence all through his tenure as Chief of Air Staff between September 2012 and December 2013.
Yishau said the N558.2 million is part of what was left after salaries and allowances of permanent and temporary workers have been defrayed from the N4 billion received monthly by NAF in its Personnel and Emolument Account.
He added that NAF received monthly allocations in its Capital Vote account with the Central Bank of Nigeria in Lagos; the Overhead Vote account with Zenith Bank Plc and Personnel and Emolument Vote account with UBA.
He also admitted helping the former Air Chief to acquire and develop a land in Abuja with the N558.2 million taken monthly from the NAF Personnel Emolument account.
Speaking under cross-examination yesterday by the lead defence counsel, Akin Olujimi (SAN), Yishau said the N558.2 million was usually set aside from NAF headquarters at Mogadishu Barracks.
“He (Badeh’s predecessor, Umar) was aware of it and he controlled the expenditure from the balance of N558.2 million.
“The practice of setting aside the N558.2 million had been there before I became director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force. I did not know how the previous administrations before Air Chief Marshal Umar were using the money”, he said.
Yishau said he, at no time specifically advised Badeh on the N558.2 million, which was usually set aside as ‘General Administration of the Chief of Air Staff’ when Badeh assumed office.
”I gave the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, a complete brief of the financial position of the Nigeria Air Force when he was appointed chief of Air Staff”, he said.
The witness said Badeh became Chief of Air Staff in September 2012, an assertion that was faulted by Olujimi, who clarified that his client was appointed on October 4, 2012, but took office on October 8, 2012.
Earlier, Justice Okon Abang granted a request by Olujimi to do away with the aspect of his ruling requiring the EFCC to confirm some documents submitted in respect of the bail granted Badeh.
It would be recalled that Justice Abang on March 10 granted Badeh N2 billion bail with two sureties at N1 billion each among other conditions. The judge also requested the EFCC to confirm and verify the documents submitted by the defendant.
Unable to perfect the bail on time, the former air chief applied to the court for a variation of the bail conditions.
Yesterday, Olujimi elected to withdraw the application for the variation of bail conditions, saying his client was able to meet the conditions, but the EFCC failed to play its role by verifying his client’s documents within 24 hours.
He, therefore, prayed the court to discard the role to be played by the EFCC in the bail since it was unable to do so within the time allocated to it.
The judge agreed with Olujimi and agreed to sign Badeh’s bail documents.
Justice Abang adjourned the case till April 8.