By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has remanded in prison custody former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who was accused of diverting over N3.9 billion from accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.

Justice Okon Abang remanded the ex-CDS at Kuje prison, Abuja, after he pleaded not guilty to an 11-count criminal charge  preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The court said Badeh should remain in prison till Thursday when his bail application will be heard, even as it slated March 14 to commence full-blown hearing on the matter.

The former military chief was in the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/46/2016, alleged to have used the looted funds to purchase choice property within the highbrow areas in Abuja.

The commission equally cited a firm, Iyalikam Nigerian Limited, as the second defendant in the charge bordering on money laundering, corruption and criminal breach of trust.

The charge, dated February 26, was signed by the Deputy Director of Legal & Prosecution Department at the EFCC, Mr. Aliyu M. Yusuf.