The trial of former Huddersfield Town player Efe Sodje and two of his football-playing brothers accused of helping launder cash from an £80,000 international fraud has collapsed.

Efe, who played for Town more than 60 times between 2003 and 2005, and brothers Sam and Akpo, were allegedly involved in channelling proceeds from the scam which targeted firms in Colombia, India, Italy and Abu Dhabi over the period of a month in 2013.

Sam and Efe were on trial at the Old Bailey along with two other men, Emmanuel Ehikhamen and Andrew Oruma.

Efe Sodje during his Town days

But Akpo now lives in Dubai and has declined to return to Britain to be interviewed by detectives, jurors have heard.

The Old Bailey trial went on for three weeks but was halted as Sam gave evidence in his defence.

Judge Georgina Kent today (Thurs) discharged the jury from returning verdicts in the case for legal reasons.

Akpo Sodje with Charlton Athletic
Akpo Sodje when he was with Charlton Athletic but has refused to return to the UK for the trial

Ehikhamen, 42, of south-east London, Oruma, 49, of Bexley, south London, Efe Sodje, 35, of Cheadle, Greater Manchester and Sam Sodje, 38, of Dartford, Kent, deny money laundering.

A date for a retrial is expected to be decided at a hearing on September 29.