Kemisola Oye
COUNSEL to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Barrister S. I. Suleiman, earlier today informed Justice Mojisola Dada of a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos that, working in collaboration with its international partners, the Commission has been able to apprehend fleeing Ismaila Mustapha, who fondly goes by the social media entertainment name, Mompha, and that it plans to take him into custody and to produce him before the court
According to Barrister Suleiman “We would like to bring to the knowledge of my lord that in collaboration with our international partners, we have been able to apprehend him, and we plan to take him into custody and to produce him before the court,” he said.
He also told the court that the counsel for the defendant “reached out to me seeking for an adjournment that he would be absent today”.
Thereafter, Justice Dada adjourned till Monday, 3rd July 2023 for continuation of trial.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretence and use of property derived from unlawful act.
Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, were first arraigned by the EFCC on 12 January 2022 before Justice Dada.
One of the counts reads: “Ismaila Mustapha, Ahmadu Mohammed (at large) and Ismalob Global Investment Limited, sometime in 2016, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to conduct financial transactions to the tune of Five Billion Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million Eight Hundred and Eighty-Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-Three Naira, Eighteen Kobo (N5,998,884,653.18) with the intent of promoting the carrying on of specified unlawful activities to wit: obtaining by false pretence.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
The EFCC had at the proceedings of 10 June 2022 informed the court that Mompha had another passport aside from the one submitted to the court as part of his bail conditions and that he used the same to travel from Ghana to Dubai on 11 April 2022 via Emirates Airlines in violation of the court order.
Thereafter, Justice Dada revoked the N25 million bail variation granted to the defendant as the court also issued a bench warrant for his arrest, because he stopped appearing in court.
The EFCC also declared him wanted.
However, since 16 June 2022, Mompha had absconded from trial even as the EFCC continued with efforts to secure his arrest and appearance in court.
Following his continued absence in court and the inability of the prosecution and defence to produce him in court, Justice Dada on 22 September 2022 ordered that his trial be continued in absentia.
Eighteen-Eleven Media