Alleged N3.9bn fraud: I paid N240m for Badeh Jnr’s house, witness tells court

Former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Commodore Salisu Yushau (retd.), yesterday, insisted that he was the one that negotiated and paid N240 million for a house the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, bought for his (Badeh’s) first son in Abuja. 

Yushau, who was further cross-examined yesterday before Justice Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court in Abuja by Badeh’s lawyer, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, also admitted that he never made such disclosure to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
 

He said the reason he did not tell the anti-graft agency anything relating to the property belonging to Badeh Jnr. was because he was never asked such question. Badeh is facing to a 10-count charge the EFCC preferred against him following allegation that he diverted over N3.9 billion from salary accounts of the NAF in 2013. 

The former military chief is being prosecuted alongside a company, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited. Responding to questions from the defence lawyer, the witness said the property in question is situated at No. 8A, Temple Street, Wuse 11, Abuja. 

He said: “It is incorrect to say that I was not involved in the purchase of No. 8A, Temple Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

 My lord, my statement is very clear as to how the property was purchased. I said in my statement that I was involved in the purchase of the said property. I can identify my statement dated February 11, 2015. 

“Yes, I mentioned in my statement that I made the payment of the dollar equivalent of the price of the property. I am the author of the statement. 

All that I said in the statement is mine. If any other person was involved in the events described in the statement, I would have mentioned it.”