Court remands Mompha, adjourns till Friday for a bail application, trial

Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha being led out of Court Premises by Prison Officials after been remanded in prison custody Yesterday. Photo: Elliot Ovadje

The Federal High Court, Lagos has remanded the suspected internet fraudster, Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha in prison custody.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Liman adjourned till Friday for hearing of his bail application and commencement of trial.

Liman made this resolution following the not-guilty plea by the suspect against his involvement in an N33billion money laundering charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mompha pleaded not guilty to a 14-count charge bordering on the offences following his arraignment at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos by the EFCC.

It would be recalled that the anti-graft agency filed the charge against the defendant on November 20, through its counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.

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The charge, signed by Oyedepo, alleged that Mompha laundered the funds through a firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd, between 2015 and 2018.

Islamob Global Investments is the second defendant in the charge, while EFCC claimed that the funds, domiciled in Fidelity Bank, were moved in tranches of N18,059,353,413 billion and N14,946,773,393.00 billion.

The commission further alleged that both defendants, not being a financial institution, or an authorized foreign exchange dealer, negotiated a foreign exchange transaction in the sum of N9.416million, N20 million, N10,437,400.00, N10miillion, N2.46million, N10miillion, N100million, N61million, N100million, N40.7million and N42million.

The funds were domiciled in the defendants’ Fidelity Bank account.

The commission alleged that Mompha “between 2015 and 2018… procured Ismalob Global Investment Ltd to retain the aggregate sum of N18,059,353,413 in its account No. 5260000846 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: fraud.

Mompha, between 2015 and 2017, also allegedly aided the company “to retain the aggregate sum of N 14,946,773,393.00 in its account No. 5260000846 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc from Pitacalize Ltd.

Both actions offended Sections 18(3) and 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act, the agency said.

Temitope Adegbuyi