Star prosecution witness in the trial of former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Dikko Umar, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the alleged sum of 558.200 million Naira he usually gives to the defendant as his monthly upkeep from the coffers of the Nigerian Air Force were not documented.
The witness, Air Commodore Salisu Yaushau, told the court in his evidence that the former Air Chief cumulatively collected over 13.3 billion Naira for two years as his monthly upkeep from the coffers of the Nigerian Air Force.
The witness, who was the Force’s Director of Finance and Accounts, also told the court how he assisted Mr Umar to acquire properties across the country worth over 2.3 billion Naira out of the monthly upkeep of 558,200 million Naira.
Under cross examination by the lead defence counsel, Hassan Liman, the witness said the payments made to the former Chief of Air Staff were not captured in the Cash and Votes Books of the Nigerian Air Force.
Air Commodore Yaushau, however, highlighted the fact that the former Air Chief was the final authority on all finances in the Air Force Headquarters and as the Director of Finance, he was answerable to the then Chief of Air Staff.
The defence counsel then tendered in evidence, a book titled “Manual of Financial Administration of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, 2012” which provides that receipt be issued on all payments made by any of the forces.
Although the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, objected to the admissibility of the book on the grounds that it was certified as a public document by the relevant authorities, it was however, admitted in evidence by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba.
After listening to both parties, Justice Dimgba adjourned the trail on the case till March 28 and 29.
Air Marshal Umar was re-arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 7- count charge of Money Laundering Act, 2011, while he held sway as the Chief of Air Staff between September 2010 and 2012.