"Badeh paid his own companies over N157m for non existent contracts" - Witness tells court

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kenneth Uchechukwu Osokogu, today told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, how the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) under Alex Badeh’s watch, made payments to the tune of N157million to companies linked to the former Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, for non-existent contracts.

Testifying as the prosecuting witness 18, Osokogu told the court that the money was paid to Iyalikam Nigeria Limited and Prince and Princess Multi-services Limited. 

Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Osokogu, whose schedule of duties include making payments as directed by the CDS and Director of Finance and Account, narrated how the DHQ received two letters from the EFCC in November 29, 2016 concerning investigating activities on Iyalikam, Prince and Princess Multi-services and the DHQ.

He said: “The first letter was asking for contract documents and all activities regarding the two companies and the defense headquarters. We searched our archives and could not find any document relating to contracts and direct purchase regarding DHQ and the two companies. I was directed to write back to the EFCC that we could not find anything, which I did through a letter dated December 9, 2016”.

Osokogu was also asked to look at Exhibit T108 and disclose the payments made therein to which he said, “N30,636,000 was paid to Iyalikam, while Prince and Princess Multi-services Limited got N36million on June 13, 2014. He further told the court that, the purpose of the payments mentioned in T108 and T109 reads “operations”.

The statement of the PW18, dated March 22, 2017, which he volunteered to the EFCC was tendered and admitted as Exhibit T110.

Justice Abang, thereafter, adjourned to May 17, 2017, for continuation of trial.

Badeh is standing trial alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97billion.