COURT DISCHARGES MOMPHA, STRIKES OUT N6BN MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGE

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday discharged social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, and struck out the alleged N6 billion money laundering charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Justice Mojisola Dada, in her ruling, held that the pendency of a similar case before the Federal High Court in Lagos made the charge before her court an act of forum shopping and an abuse of court process.

The judge consequently struck out all eight counts against Mompha and discharged him.

The EFCC had, on January 12, 2022, arraigned Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, on charges bordering on conspiracy to launder funds allegedly obtained through unlawful activities, retention and laundering of proceeds of crime, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretences and use of property derived from unlawful acts.

The defendant, who was tried in absentia, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Mompha, alongside one Ahmadu Mohammed, who is currently at large, and Ismalob Global Investment Limited, conspired in 2016 to conduct financial transactions worth N6 billion with the intention of promoting unlawful activities, including obtaining money by false pretence.

During the trial, EFCC counsel, Mr Seleiman Suleiman, called six prosecution witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits in support of the allegations.

The defence, however, did not call any witness.

Mompha reportedly stopped attending court proceedings after he was granted bail, with his international passport deposited as part of his bail conditions.

On April 28, the court closed the defence’s case after Mompha’s counsel, Mr Kolawole Salami, from the chambers of Mr Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), failed to produce witnesses.

The court’s decision on Tuesday brings the proceedings on the eight-count charge before the Ikeja Special Offences Court to an end.