The trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Dikko Umar, a retired air marshal, resumed on Monday at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.
Prosecuting counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, cross-examined the defendant, Mr Umar, at the resumed hearing.
Mr Tahir demanded that Mr Dikko explain the court how long he worked in the Nigerian Air Force and what else he did in addition to working for the Nigerian Air Force.
The defendant said in court that he served in the Nigerian Air Force for 36 years and had three farms in Kaduna and Abuja.
The Abuja farm, he claims, is 17 hectares in size, while the other two in Kaduna are four hectares and 200 hectares, respectively.
He stated that he assumed the position of Chief of Air Staff on September 8, 2010, and retired on October 1, 2012.
The trial judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, thereafter adjourned the matter till Thursday, 30 September , for continuation of trial.
Mr Dikko was originally arrested on a seven-count allegation of money laundering and procurement fraud in the amount of N4.8 billion on January 25, 2017.
Only one count remains for Mr Umar to defend after the court dismissed six of the seven counts in a judgment on his no-case motion in February.
In the initial seven-count indictment, the EFCC accused him of diverting approximately N4.8 billion from the Nigerian Air Force’s account “within 24 months” and spending the money on personal property in high-profile places.
The trial judge, Mr Dimgba, in his ruling on the no-case submission, dismissed six of the counts and ordered him to open his defence in respect of the one remaining count.
Mr Dimgba, said, in the 23 February ruling, he found merit in the no-case submission the defendant filed in relation to counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the charge.
He,however, ordered the defendant to open his defence in relation to the count 7.
“I hereby direct the defendant to open his defence in relation to this count” Mr Dimgba held.
Alleged N66million diversion
The judge ruled that Mr Umar had a case to answer concerning the transfer of N66 million from the official bank accounts of the Nigerian Air Force in Stanbic IBTC to the bank account of a solicitor (who testified as the second prosecution witness).
The solicitor was said to have been engaged by the first prosecution witness on Mr Umar’s behalf as alleged in Count 7.
He noted that from the evidence led, the money was used for the “renovations/improvement of the property in Asokoro which is the subject of count 3.”
He noted that from the evidence led, the money was used for the “renovations/improvement of the property in Asokoro which is the subject of count 3.”
He added that the prosecution’s evidence also showed that the property at Asokoro had been purchased by the defendant, through the PW1 and for his own personal use.
“There was no evidence or suggestion that the property was an official property or that it belonged to the NAF or was being purchased for the NAF,” the judge added.
He also said: “The circumstances surrounding this transfer of funds raises questions bordering on breach of trust and abuse of office.
“An explanation is needed in the context of a defence.”
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