‘Money laundering’: Court discharges Mompha

The Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, has discharged social media movie star Ismaila Mustapha, popularly often called Mompha, and struck out the alleged ₦6 billion cash laundering expenses introduced in opposition to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Mojisola Dada, in her ruling on Tuesday, held that the prosecution of the defendant on the Ikeja courtroom amounted to discussion board procuring and an abuse of courtroom course of as a result of an identical case involving him was already pending earlier than the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Consequently, the decide struck out all eight counts filed in opposition to Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, and discharged each defendants.

Court cites pending case at Federal High Court

The EFCC had, on January 12, 2022, arraigned Mompha and his firm on an eight-count cost bordering on conspiracy to launder proceeds of illegal actions, retention and laundering of proceeds of legal conduct, and failure to reveal property and property.

Other allegations included possession of paperwork containing false pretences and using property allegedly derived from illegal actions.

The anti-graft company had alleged that Mompha, alongside one Ahmadu Mohammed, who continues to be at massive, and his firm, conspired in 2016 to conduct monetary transactions valued at about ₦6 billion to advertise illegal actions, together with acquiring cash by false pretences.

EFCC known as six witnesses

Mompha pleaded not responsible to the costs and was subsequently tried in absentia after reportedly ceasing to attend courtroom proceedings following the grant of bail.

During the trial, EFCC counsel, Mr Seleiman Suleiman, known as six prosecution witnesses and tendered a number of documentary reveals in help of the allegations.

The defence, nevertheless, didn’t name any witness.

The courtroom had, on April 28, closed the defence’s case after Mompha’s counsel, Mr Kolawole Salami, of the chambers of Mr Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, failed to supply witnesses.

Mompha stopped attending courtroom after bail

The defendant reportedly stopped showing in courtroom after he was granted bail, along with his worldwide passport deposited as a part of the bail situations.

However, in Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Dada held that the existence of an identical case earlier than the Federal High Court meant that persevering with with the prosecution on the Ikeja courtroom would quantity to an abuse of judicial course of.

The courtroom consequently struck out the eight-count cost and discharged Mompha and his firm.