18th November, 2020
By Sandra Umeh/Lagos
Instagram celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, alias Mompha will know on 9 December whether his money laundering trial should proceed.
A Federal High Court judge, Justice Mohammed Liman today fixed the date to deliver ruling.
The EFCC charged Mompha with 14 counts of fraud, money laundering and running illegal a foreign exchange.
He was arraigned alongside a firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N100million, with one surety in the like sum.
The case which was earlier fixed for ruling on the no case submission filed by defence, could not proceed on Wednesday, as the court did not sit.
Justice Liman has fixed Dec. 9 for ruling.
Justice Liman, had on Oct. 14, adjourned the case for ruling, after listening to submissions by the prosecution and defence.
EFCC accused the defendant of procuring Ismalob Global Investment Ltd and retaining in its account, an aggregate sum of N32.9billion between 2015 and 2018.
The prosecution closed its case on July 17, after calling its 10th witness, while the court adjourned for defence.
On Oct. 14, defence counsel, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, informed the court that he filed a no case submission dated Aug. 11.
Oyewole consequently adopted the arguments contained in his written address in support of his argument that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendant.
He urged the court to so hold.
EFCC Counsel, Mr Suleiman Suleiman, in response, asked the court to determine whether the evidence adduced by the prosecution has sufficiently linked the defendant to the offences, to warrant him to be called on to open his defence and make explanations.
According to the charge, EFCC alleged that Mompha laundered N32.9billion through Ismalob Global Investment Ltd, between 2015 and 2018.
Both defendants were alleged to have negotiated foreign exchange transactions in various sums like N9.4million, N20 million, N10.4 million, N2.4million, N100million, N61million, N40.7million, N42million, among others.
Mompha was alleged to have aided Ismalob to retain an aggregate sum of N 14billion in its account, which was procured from one Pitacalize Ltd.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 15(2) and 18(3) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.2011 as amended.