Air Marshal Badeh: in court

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday admitted in evidence documents to prove Air Marshal Alex Badeh’s ownership of a Visa Gold Account.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a prosecution witness, Mrs Fatima Dauda-Adamu, had on Nov. 14, told Justice Abang that she opened a “Visa Gold Account” for the former Chief of Defence Staff.

Adamu had told the court that she was the Relationship Manager of Badeh’s Visa gold account from 2012 when the account was opened.

During cross-examination, the witness said  not all the deposits made into the account were done by her but she acknowledged that the tellers were carefully filled by her before funds were deposited.

Adamu also said no deposit was made physically by Badeh, but that all the deposits were made on his directives.

The defence Counsel, Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi (SAN) questioned the contradiction in the testimony of Adamu in name of the payee on the deposit slips used in paying money into the account.

Olujinmi asked why some deposit slips would bear the name `Fatima Adamu’ while others bore “self”.

According to the witness in her response, if the name `self’ is indicated on the deposit slip, it connotes that the owner of the account is paying the money into the account.

The witness also explained  that the 400,000 U.S. dollars, which was deposited into the Visa Gold Account in four instalments between Oct. 8 and Oct. 23, 2013, bore the name `self’ on the deposit slip.

Adamu said that the deposited amounts on those dates were brought into the bank by officers who were Badeh’s assistants.

Justice Abang adjourned continuation of the trial until Nov. 22 and Nov. 23. (NAN)
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