The 13th prosecution witness, Joseph Okpetu, told a Federal High Court on
Friday that he renovated houses, built churches and mosque for former
Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh.
Okpetu, in his resumed testimony before Justice Okon Abang, said he
constructed Badeh’s Yola mansions worth N150 million between 2008 and
2012.
He said that he was contracted to renovate Badeh’s house, destroyed by
Boko Haram insurgents in Vimtim village in the Mubi Local Government Area
of Adamawa and was paid N50 million.
“I also built a Mosque, renovated three churches and a civic centre meant
for skills acquisition and was paid N100 million in three instalments by
Air Commodore Yishua
Okpetu also said his company started dealing with the Nigerian Air Force
far back in 2010, and had completed contracts in Kano, Kaduna, Yola,
Markurdi and Abuja for the government.
He stressed that out of the N50 million meant for the renovation, he was
made to build a house for an officer in-charge of the Joint Task Force.
“I used about N14 million and N15 million on the building of the officer
house in Mubi on Badeh’s directive.
“There was no award of contract from either the Army or the Navy for the
construction of the house of the Officer-in-Charge,’’ he said.
When asked if he knew the 2nd defendant, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, he said
“I don’t know Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, but I was paid N30 million from
its account in 2015
“We used the money for clearing of the perimeters in Badeh’s farm and
imported materials then planted equipment at Akanciye in Nasarawa State.
“During the tenure of Badeh, I constructed the dining hall of Air Force
Comprehensive School, supplied generator and also built in Kano 18 by two,
non-commissioned officers’ quarters.
“We drilled borehole also in Makurdi Air Force Base,” Okpetu added.
He further said that the share structure of one of his company Vim Plast
Nigeria Limited are, three million naira to Alex Badeh (Jnr), three
million naira to Kamtufa Badeh and four million naira to himself (Joseph
Okpetu).
He added that it was later changed in 2015 to six million naira to Joseph
Okpetu, three million to Kamtufa Badeh, N500,000 to Victoria Okpetu, and
N500,000 also to Architect Dan Williams.
He said Kamtufa constructed a house in Kubwa, Abuja, adding that his
father gave him the house as a contribution to the company.
Okpetu, who was cross examined by Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), defence
counsel, said he was detained and released by EFCC without spending a
night.
He also admitted that he was not psychologically stable while writing the
statements in the absence of his lawyer.
The witness added that he wrote and signed all statements he made on eight
occasions when he was in the custody of the EFCC.
The statements were tendered and admitted in evidence by Justice Abang as
exhibit T89-T96, respectively.
Abang also adjourned the matter till Jan. 25 and Jan. 26 for continuation
of cross examination.
The EFCC is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited,
on a 10-count charge of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent
removal of about N3.97 billion from the Nigerian Air Force’s account.
The anti-graft agency accused Badeh of using the funds to buy and develop
landed assets in Abuja for himself and two sons between January and
December, 2013.