Nigerian court clears influencer Mompha in money laundering case
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Tribune Online
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja cleared influencer Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha, and his company Ismalob Global Investment in the case involving 6 billion naira in money laundering. Judge Mojisola Dada ruled that the EFCC’s prosecution was marred by procedural flaws and struck out all eight charges, according to Tribune Online.
A Nigerian court on Tuesday cleared influencer Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha, and his company Ismalob Global Investment Limited in a money laundering case involving 6 billion naira. Judge Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Lagos at Ikeja said the proceedings brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) constituted an abuse of judicial process and were marred by procedural flaws, Tribune Online reports.
The judge notably found that the eighth charge had been added afterwards to distinguish the case from a similar proceeding before the Federal High Court. She also concluded that Mompha had not sought to conceal the recovered assets, as they had been declared on his 20 October 2019 form and then mentioned in his extrajudicial statement two days later, according to Tribune Online.
The EFCC had brought Mompha and his company before the court on 12 January 2022 on eight charges, including conspiracy to launder funds allegedly obtained from illegal activities, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct and false declaration. Prosecutor Suleiman I. Suleiman called six witnesses and produced several exhibits, while Mompha, who stopped appearing after being released on bail, was represented by his lawyers Kolawole Salami and Ademola Adefolaju, Tribune Online reports.
