The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday closed its case in the N32.9 billion money laundering trial of an Instagram celebrity Ismaila Mustapha alias Mompha before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The anti-graft agency closed case after calling its 10th witness.
Mompha is facing 14 counts charge bordering on fraud, money laundering and running a foreign exchange business without the authorisation of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He was arraigned alongside a firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charge, and was granted bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.
The EFCC accused Mustapha of procuring Ismalob Global Investment Ltd. and illegally retaining in its account, an aggregate sum of N32.9 billion from 2015 to 2018.
At the resumed trial on Friday, EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo called the 10th witness, Amodu Mohammed.
The witness who spoke partly in Pidgin English told the court that the defendant was a director of the company Ismalob.
He told the court that the company also maintained an account to which Mompha was a signatory.
The witness said Ismalob is a Bureau de change (BDC) company which started business in December 2015 but not licenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Gboyega Oyewole, the witness told the court that he was Mompha’s uncle.
The court fixed July 24 for parties in the suit to address it on whether the EFCC has cause to keep holding the property of the defendant without an order of the court.
The court also adjourned the trial until October 14 for defence to open its case.
Discussion about this post