Date for ruling on appeal of Mompha to recover assets from EFCC

A date has been fixed for the ruling on appeal of Mompha, whose real name is Ismaila Mustapha, to recover assets from the EFCC.

24th July has been fixed by the Federal High Court in Lagos to rule on an application by the social media celebrity, to recover items seized from him by the EFCC.

Ismaila made an application through his lawyer, Mr Gboyega Oyewole (SAN). In it, he listed the seized items as “five wristwatches, a pair of Apple Airpods, one iPhone 8 mobile phone and one pair of sunglasses.”

However, the application was opposed vehemently by Rotimi Oyedepo, the EFCC lawyer.

The social media celebrity is being prosecuted along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, by the EFCC for allegedly laundering a total of N32.95bn.

They were charged with 14 counts bordering on fraud, money laundering and running a foreign exchange business without the authorisation of the Central Bank of Nigeria. They pleaded not guilty.

While opposing Mompha’s application for the release of his “personal belongings” seized by the EFCC, Idi Musa, an investigator with the EFCC, said that the defendant “is still under investigation for offences bordering on fraudulent transactions, aiding and abetting money laundering and computer-related frauds that are different from the current charge at hand.

“Releasing the applicant’s recovered items will jeopardise the said ongoing investigation that has recorded remarkable success so far.”

Following an argument between Oyewole and Oyedepo on Friday, Justice Mohammed Liman adjourned until July 24 for a ruling.