The trial of Ismaila Mustapha also known as Mompha has been adjourned to December 16, 2022 by the special offences court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State.
This is contained in a Statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which says Mompha is being tried for an alleged 6 billion naira fraud.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Mompha alongside his company Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretence and use of property derived from unlawful act.
Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, was first arraigned by the EFCC on January 12, 2022 but he pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
The Statement explained that the Commission had during the proceedings of June 10, 2022 , informed the court that Mompha was in possession of another passport aside the one submitted to the Court as part of his bail conditions and that he used the same to travel from Ghana to Dubai on April 11, 2022 via Emirates Airlines in violation of the Court order.
Consequently, the N25 million bail variation granted the defendant was revoked. The court also issued a bench warrant for his arrest because he stopped appearing in Court.
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The EFCC also declared him wanted.
The Commission says since June 16, 2022, Mompha has absconded from the trial even as it continues with efforts to secure his arrest and appearance in Court.
Given his continued absence in court and the inability of the prosecution and defence to produce him, the Court ordered that the trial would continue in absentia.
At the proceedings on wednesday, the prosecuting counsel informed the court that the prosecution was in court with two witnesses but the lead defence counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN was absent.
Justice Mojisola Dada who is presiding over the matter adjourned the trial to December 16, 2022.
In another Statement by the EFCC, Justice Ahmad Mahmud of the Federal high Court, Sokoto ordered the Director with the Sokoto State Commodity Board, Hassan Bello who was sentenced to 7years imprisonment on wednesday for job scam to pay restitution of N 850,000.00 to his victims throughgh the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, within 6 months.
The Statement says the Convict had fraudulently obtained the sum of one million three hundred and twenty thousand naira each from his victims under the guise of offering non-existent employment to hapless job seekers.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma
