By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The ongoing trial of the embattled Ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd) before a Federal High Court, Lagos Nigeria could not hold on Wednesday as fixed due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The judge was said to have gone for a seminar/workshop outside Lagos jurisdiction. Consequently, parties were asked to agree on another date.
When the parties entered into the courtroom for the proceedings of the day, the court registrar informed them that the trial judge is undergoing training outside the jurisdiction and therefore, asked parties to agree on another date.
Following the information by the registrar, EFCC prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo urged the registrar to give an earlier date as prescribed by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 which states that an adjournment in criminal proceeding shall not be more than fourteen days interval.
After cross-checking the court’s record diary, parties agreed on 6th and 7th of March for continuation of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on November 13, 2018, re-arraigned Air Marshal Adesola Amosun (rtd) and two others on an amended 13-counts charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of N21billion.
Besides Amosu, others standing trial with him are Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun and a former Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga.
They are facing trial for alleged conspiracy and conversion of the funds belonging to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to their personal use
One of the counts reads: “That you, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun Nunayon (rtd) Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga, on or about the 5th day of March, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N21,467,634,707.43 (Twenty One Billion, Four Hundred and sixty seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, seven Hundred and Seven Naira, forty three Kobo), property of the Nigerian Air Force which you sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of your unlawful activities to wit: criminal breach of trust,and hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering ( prohibition) Act, 2011( as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It would be recalled that on January 16, 2019, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court, Lagos Nigeria had ordered the final forfeiture of the sum of N2.2 billion recovered from Amosu from Adesola Amosu to Federal Government of Nigeria.
Also the sum of N190,828,978.15 recovered from Gbadebo was also forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.