14th October, 2020
Ismail Mustapha, alias Mompha, who is standing trial over an alleged N32.9 billion internet fraud, has a case to answer, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told a Federal High Court today.
Mompha was re-arraigned on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 alongside his company, Ismalob Ventures, on an amended 22-count charge of fraud.
At the resumed sitting today, Mompha, through his lawyer, Gbenga Oyewole, SAN, filed a no-case submission, after the prosecution had closed its case at the last sitting.
Oyewole, in urging the court to uphold his client’s no-case submission, said the prosecution had failed to link his client to any offence on all the counts of the charge.
However, the prosecution counsel, S. I. Sulaiman, in his response, urged the court to dismiss Mompha’s no-case submission application, which was adopted before the court.
In urging the court to dismiss Mompha’s application, Sulaiman said the prosecution had been able to link the defendant to the alleged offences.
This, he said, was done through the evidence adduced and exhibits tendered by the 10 prosecution witnesses.
He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application and order the defendant to open his defence.
After listening to both parties, Justice Liman adjourned the matter till 18 November for ruling on the defendant’s no-case submission.