Court dismisses EFCC's N6 billion money laundering case against Mompha

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has thrown out the N6 billion money laundering charge against social media star Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha, and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.

On Tuesday, trial judge Mojisola Dada ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acted wrongly by prosecuting the defendants while a similar case was still open at the Federal High Court.

The judge criticized the EFCC for trying to handle both cases at once, calling it forum shopping. She also took issue with the eighth count in the charge, saying it seemed like an afterthought meant to separate the Ikeja case from the one at the Federal High Court.

Concerning the claim that Mr Mompha did not reveal some of his assets, Ms Dada said there was no proof he intended to hide the items found with him. She pointed out that he had mentioned them in a statement made on 22 October 2019, just two days after he filled out an asset declaration form.

The EFCC had charged Mr Mompha and his company on 12 January 2022 with eight counts related to conspiracy to launder money from illegal activities, keeping proceeds of crime, failing to declare assets, and having documents with false information.

The commission claimed Mr Mompha, along with Ahmadu Mohammed, who is currently on the run, and the company, worked together in 2016 to carry out financial transactions worth N5,998,884,653.18 to support illegal activities, including fraud.

The defendants pleaded not guilty. During the trial, the prosecution, led by Suleiman Suleiman, called six witnesses and showed various documents. Mr Mompha stopped showing up in court after he was granted bail and had his lawyers, Kolawole Salami and Ademola Adefolaju, represent him.

The defense did not call any witnesses but asked the court to free the defendants, saying the prosecution was misusing the court process. In November 2025, Ms Dada dismissed a no-case plea from Mr Mompha and his company, stating that the EFCC had made a strong enough case for them to defend themselves.

The defendants then appealed the ruling at the Court of Appeal. The prosecution and defense presented their final written statements on 30 June, and the judge later reserved her judgment.

The EFCC has also brought a different money laundering case against Mr Mompha and his company at the Federal High Court in Lagos. In that case, the commission accused them of using company accounts to hold about N32.9 billion suspected to be from illegal activities.

This charge was first filed in 2019 and later changed. The presence of the ongoing case at the Federal High Court was key to Ms Dada’s decision to dismiss the case in her court.

Since 2019, Mr Mompha has faced several prosecutions from the EFCC for allegedly laundering billions of naira for cybercrime groups and using companies to hide illegal funds. He has always denied these allegations.