Court Admits Additional Evidence in Mompha’s Money Laundering Case, Trial Adjourned

In a recent development, the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has admitted additional evidence in the ongoing money laundering case against Ismail Mustapha, famously known as Mompha.

This update came during a court session on Monday, September 18, 2023, where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented more documents through its third prosecution witness, Ayotunde Solademi, an employee of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of Legal Attache US Consulate, Lagos.

Mompha, along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC on January 12, 2022.

They faced an eight-count charge that includes allegations of conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activities, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, money laundering, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretence, and the use of property derived from unlawful acts.

One of the counts specifically mentions financial transactions involving a significant sum of N5,998,884,653.18 with the intent of promoting unlawful activities.

Mompha entered a plea of “not guilty” to the charges.

Justice Mojisola Dada had previously ruled on September 22, 2022, that the trial of Mompha would proceed in his absence following his bail jump.

During the recent court proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, S.I. Suleiman, introduced two more documents into evidence.

These documents included a report from the USA-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and an investigative report concerning Mompha’s iPhone, which the agency alleged was used for fraudulent activities.

The defense counsel, Kolawole Salami, raised an objection, arguing that the documents should be certified by the United States Consulate as they were considered public documents.

However, the court overruled the objection, with Justice Dada stating that the documents were in their original state and did not require certification.

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Under cross-examination, the witness revealed that the FBI’s forensic analysis found that Mompha’s iPhone had been used for various activities related to fraudulent financial transactions. This included sending account details to a United Arab Emirates telephone number, searching for Swift Codes of a bank, and having a compromised Microsoft 365 account.

The witness further explained that the iPhone was used for three attempts to transfer funds, with the first two failing and the third being successful.

The case has been adjourned to November 1, 2023, marking another step in the legal proceedings against Mompha in the money laundering case.