An Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday granted former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, a N2 billion bail. Presiding judge, Okon Abang ruled that Badeh presents two Abuja-based sureties with N1 billion each and also surrender his international passport.
Badeh is accused by the Ecomonic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of receiving N3.9 billion as part of $2.1 billion arms procurement funds allegedly diverted by the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
The Commission had also told the court that it recovered $1 million from Badeh’s apartment, a claim the former defence chief denied.
The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said the money was found in one of the properties confiscated from Badeh.
But the accused lawyer, Samuel Zibiri, said the claim was false and meant to seek “media hype”. “My lord, he should argue his case on bail application and avoid undue media hype. This is an allegation and the applicant has said no
$1 million was found in his house,” he stated.
He argued that the former defence chief would not jump bail, and should be granted bail without conditions, following from the example of former Interior Minister, Abba Moro.
Zibiri said that the condition of the prison facility, where his client was kept, was unfavourable. The EFCC lawyer, Jacobs, countered the argument of Zibiri, saying a strong case had been established against him. He referred the court to pages 76 and 99 of the proof of evidence before it, saying the pages show how Badeh instructed the director of finance of the Nigerian Air Force to convert public funds to dollars for use in purchasing a property for Badeh. “My lord, the first property was bought for at N1.4 billion and the finance director paid for it,” Jacobs said. “$1 million was recovered from the property; we will tender it as evidence,” he added.
Jacobs said it was likely for Badeh to jump bail in view of the evidences against him. He also said Badeh had not met
conditions for bail on health grounds.
The judge however upheld Zibiri’s argument, and granted bail to Badeh.
