Badeh's trial: Witness explains how accounts were opened

Mrs Esho Fadeke, a prosecution wit­ness in the on-going trial of Air Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd), has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that she followed due pro­cess in opening Iyalikam ac­count.

Fadeke, a member of staff, GT Bank Plc and an account officer to Iyalikam Nig Ltd, confirmed her involvement in the opening of the con­troversial company’s account linked to Badeh in the al­leged transfer of arms funds.

Curiously, Badeh had de­nied the knowledge of any company called Iyalikam Nig Ltd.
According to the witness, the signature contained in the mandate given by the company to the bank stated that either of the company or owner of the company can sign. She, however, pro­duced documents which were marked exhibits E25 and E30 known as the man­date given by the company to the bank of who should be signatory to the account.
She said that the mandate did not contain the e-trans­actions but direct user tele­phone instructions.
According to Fadake, there is a telephone number on the Mandate card, used in contacting the authorised signature of the account holder, and the mandate card is not the document in the account opening pack­age as to whether telephone instructions can be received.