Court quashes N21.5bn charge against ex-Chief of Air Staff over jurisdiction

A criminal charge preferred against a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu, and two others over N21.5 billion money laundering has been quashed.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 quashed the charge.

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.

Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu leaving the court premisesJustice Aneke upheld a preliminary objection by 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.

The judge held: “As officers of the Armed Forces, they ought to have been first investigated by the armed forces and tried rather than charging them before this court.”

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

The Star