Justice Mojisola Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos State has discharged social media influencer Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, from the alleged ₦6 billion money laundering charges filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge ruled that the charges constituted an abuse of judicial process and amounted to forum shopping, describing the inclusion of the eighth count as an afterthought allegedly intended to distinguish the case from a similar matter before the Federal High Court.
Justice Dada also held that there was no evidence that Mompha deliberately intended to conceal assets recovered from him. According to the court, the items in question were disclosed in an extra-judicial statement he made two days after submitting his asset declaration form on October 20, 2019.
Consequently, the judge struck out the entire case and discharged Mompha and his company from the allegations.
The EFCC had initially arraigned Mompha and Ismalob Global Investment Limited before the court on January 12, 2022, on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and related financial offences.
The allegations included conspiracy to launder proceeds of unlawful activities, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, failure to disclose assets and possession of documents allegedly containing false pretences.
Mompha pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintained his position against the allegations throughout the proceedings.
During the trial, the EFCC, through its prosecuting counsel, Suleiman I. Suleiman, presented six witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits in an attempt to establish its case against the defendants.
However, Mompha, who reportedly stopped appearing physically in court after being granted bail, was represented by his lawyers, Kolawole Salami and Ademola Adefolaju.
The defence did not call any witnesses but strongly challenged the prosecution’s case, arguing that the charges amounted to an abuse of court processes.
In its ruling, the court upheld the objection and brought the proceedings to an end by striking out the charges and discharging both Mompha and his company.
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