- A prosecution witness against Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh has alleged that former chief of defence staff spent N100 million on a mosque and two churches in his hometown

- Badeh is currently standing trial on a 10-count charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering of over N3 billion

- Badeh’s case has been adjourned to January 25

A prosecution witness has narrated how he renovated two churches and built a new mosque for former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh in his home town of Vimtim, Adamawa state.

Badeh is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a 10-count charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering of over N3bn alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Ltd, a company believed to be owned by him.

According to Daily Post, Joseph Okpetu, a builder, at the resumed hearing on January 12, testified that he was awarded the contract to renovate two churches in Vimtim during the community’s thanksgiving service in 2013.

Okpetu said: “I constructed a village house for the first defendant, Alex Badeh, between 2008 and 2012. The fixings, features and painting were done in 2012. We also built a mosque opposite the house.

“After the construction of the house, a thanksgiving service was held. We [Havco] renovated the church where the thanksgiving took place. My company was also given the responsibility to provide tables and chairs for the thanksgiving.”

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Okpetu said he also imported plants and equipment for Badeh’s Akacia Farms Ltd in Nasarawa state.

He further told the court that between N5 million to N8 million was spent on renovation of the church used for the thanksgiving.

He said: “Apart from the village house, we built a mosque, two churches and a civic centre for skills acquisition in Bintin Village. All these cost N100 million. I was paid in three installments of N40 million, N30 million and N30 million.”

The witness said his firm received N14 million for building a house for the officer-in-charge of the Joint Armed Forces in Mubi, Adamawa state.

He also said he was in charge of the importation of the materials, plants and equipment for Badeh’s Kantiye Farm in Nassarawa state.

“I do not know Iyalikam, but I was paid from Iyalikam Nigeria Limited the sum of N30 million in 2015.

“Before 2015, the share structure of my company, Dilplast Nigeria Limited, was four million shares to me, three million shares to Alex Badeh [Jnr] and three million shares to Kamtufa Badeh.

“Now, I own six million shares, while Kamtufa Badeh owns three million and Victoria Okpetu and Architect Dan Williams own 500,000 shares each.”

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has traced over N632.2million to the account of former Enugu State Chief Judge Innocent Azubuike Umezulike.

An EFCC source on Wednesday, January 11, said some of the lodgments came from lawyers, businessmen, politicians and litigants.