Dare Babalola
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has dismissed Mompha’s no-case submission, ordering the social media influencer and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, to defend themselves against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) allegations of laundering approximately ₦6 billion.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday and shared by the EFCC, comes after months of legal debate between the anti-graft agency and the Mompha, whose real name is Ismaila Mustapha, centered on whether the prosecution had presented a case requiring a response.
Mompha and his company were initially arraigned on January 12, 2022, facing an eight-count charge related to conspiracy to launder funds from unlawful activities, retention of criminal proceeds, failure to declare assets, and possession of documents containing false pretences.
The EFCC alleged that Mompha and his accomplices, including Ahmadu Mohammed who is currently at large, orchestrated financial transactions totaling ₦5,998,884,653.18 (approximately ₦6 billion) with the intention of facilitating illicit activities related to obtaining money through false pretences.
Mompha, famed for flaunting luxury cars and designer fashion online, pleaded not guilty to all counts when first arraigned.
The EFCC stated that prosecution counsel S. I. Suleiman called five witnesses, including investigators, a bank compliance officer, and representatives from the financial services sector, to trace the alleged flow of funds and demonstrate the concealment of illicit transactions.
After the prosecution closed its case, Mompha’s lawyer, Kolawole Salami, entered a no-case submission, asserting that none of the witnesses or documents tied his client directly to the alleged offences. He urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants due to a lack of evidence.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Mojisola Dada held that the prosecution had presented sufficient material to require a defence.
“The evidence before the court discloses grounds sufficient for the defendants to enter their defence,” she ruled, dismissing the no-case submission.
The judge directed Mompha and his company to open their defence on the next adjourned date, 27 and 28 January 2026, for the commencement of the defence stage, during which the defendants are expected to call their own witnesses and tender documents in support of their case.
The high-profile trial has drawn widespread attention since Mompha’s arrest, with the EFCC alleging that he used his firm to launder billions through a complex network of accounts.
Though granted bail in 2022, the defendant’s intermittent absences from court led the EFCC to declare him wanted briefly. Mompha has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting that his fortune stems from a legitimate bureau de change business.
As of press time, he has not publicly reacted to Justice Dada’s latest ruling.
