Nigeria's immediate past
Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, has been accused by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of using funds assigned to the Nigerian Air
Force to purchase a mansion in Abuja with the dollar equivalent of N1.4
billion.
The EFCC said in a
statement Thursday that, "Mr Badeh, while being the CDS, among other
things between January and December, 2013, allegedly used dollar equivalent of
the sum of N1.4billion (One Billion, One Hundred Million Naira) 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."
According to the anti-graft
agency, the offence is in contravention of Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money
Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section
15(3) of the same Act, it said.
However, the former defence
chief denied allegations of corruption against him, and on Thursday, Badeh, who
has been in detention for more than two weeks, accused the EFCC of
'persecuting' him and conducting a media trial against him.
He added that he had
repeatedly assured of his readiness to cooperate with the investigation, yet
was detained for a prolonged time without being arraigned in court.
His arraignment scheduled
for Thursday, at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja could not hold as the
presiding judge, Okon E. Abang, was absent. No reason was given for his
absence.
Mr Badeh, a retired Air
Chief Marshal, was to be arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on money
laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption.
The arraignment has been
fixed tentatively for Monday, March 7, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, said.
Opari, not surprised
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