Abuja Judge Denies Alex Badeh Bail

Alex Badeh has been remanded in prison by Okon Abang, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, pending the determination of his application for bail.

Justice Abang dismissed an earlier application for bail filed by Samuel Zibiri, Badeh’s Counsel on the grounds that it was incompetent.

Zibiri had filed the application on March 2, before the arraignment of his client. But the judge held that it was out of place to file an application for bail before the arraignment of an accused person.

The Judge thereafter, dismissed the application and asked the defence counsel to file a fresh one.

Badeh’s Counsel had asked the court to remand Badeh in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and not in prison but the court did not grant his request.

The Judge fixed March 10 for hearing of the bail application, and March 14 for trial.

Badeh who arrived court at about 9am is facing an 11-count charge ‎of‎ criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.9bn.

He is alleged to have used funds of the Nigeria air force to purchase choice property in Abuja. According to the EFCC, Badeh illegally used N60m to renovate his sons house, which he purchased for N260m in Abuja, between January and December 2013. The former defence chief is also alleged to have used N878m -being funds of the air force- to build a shopping mall in Abuja.