Former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, has permanently forfeited $1 million to the Federal Government as he continues to face corruption trial before a federal high court in Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, while investigating the arms deal scam during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had searched Badeh’s mansion located at 6 Ogun River Crescent, Maitama, Abuja on March 6, 2016 and found cash totaling $1 million.

The house, a N1.1 billion mansion, was also taken over by the EFCC and the cash was seized as evidence.

Badeh was later arraigned before Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court for an alleged N3.7bn fraud and the mansion and the cash were listed as evidence against Badeh in court.

But the former air chief denied ownership of the mansion and its contents.

The mansion has since been converted to government’s use; it is now being used by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative headed by Theophilus Danjuma, a retired army general.

Sources privy to the investigation told newsmen that the $1 million has been deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Government since Badeh had denied ownership of everything.

According to experts, even if Badeh is found not guilty in court, he cannot turn around to demand the $1 million or the property as this will amount to perjury which is a criminal offence and carries a jail term.

When contacted on the telephone, Badeh’s lawyer, Samuel Zibri, SAN, insisted that the property did not belong to his client.

“I have checked through my records. The property is not Badeh’s property. I am not aware of any interim order of forfeiture, neither am I aware of it being converted to a Federal Government office,” he said.

In the charges brought against Badeh, he was accused of buying a plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, for N650 million, as well as constructing a shopping mall on the said plot at the sum of more than N1 billion.

The EFCC said that the money was sourced from the treasury of the Nigeria Air Force, in contravention of various sections of the Money Laundering Act.