Armsgate: Judge’s Absence Stalls Badeh’s Arraignment
Taiwo Owoeye
The arraignment of a former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, scheduled for Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja could not hold as planned, as the presiding judge, Justice Okon E. Abang was absent.
No reason was given for his absence.
Badeh was to be arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption.
In the mean time, Monday, March 7, 2016 has been tentatively fixed for the arraignment.
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, Four 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.
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.