Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday nullified a criminal charge preferred against a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and two others over alleged N21.5 billion money laundering.

DAILY POST reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had re-arraigned the defendants on an amended 13-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N21.5 billion.

Justice Aneke on Tuesday upheld a preliminary objection by the defence counsel challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case on the grounds that the defendants were serving officers of the military at the time.

It had argued that the defendants were, therefore, only subject to trial by a court martial, since they were still officers during the period.

Recall that the EFCC had, on June 29, 2016, arraigned Amosun alongside a former Nigeria Air Force Chief of Accounts and Budgeting, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun, and a former Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Gbadebo  Olugbenga, on a 26-count charge.

But they were re-arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke in a 13-count amended charge marked FHC/L/280C/16 on money laundering to the tune of N21.5bn.

The defendants were prosecuted for alleged conspiracy and conversion of the funds belonging to the NAF to their personal use.