Olayiwola Matthew
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos has adjourned till March 13, 2025 further hearing in the trial of Ismaila Mustapha for an offence bordering on alleged money laundering.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on January 12, 2022 arraigned Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretences and use of property derived from an unlawful act.
One of the counts reads: “Ismaila Mustapha, Ahmadu Mohammed (at large) and Ismalob Global Investment Limited, sometime in 2016, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to conduct financial transactions to the tune of N5,998,884,653.18 (Five Billion Nine Hundred and Ninety-eight Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty-four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-three Naira Eighteen Kobo), with the intent of promoting the carrying on of specified unlawful activities to wit: obtaining by false pretence.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charge when it was read to him.
At the resumed sitting on Monday, February 3, 2025, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman presented its sixth prosecution witness, PW6, Idi Musa, an operative of the EFCC.
The prosecution, through the PW6, who was recalled to testify in the matter, sought to tender documents received from the Federal Bureau of Investigation,FBI.
However, counsel to the defendant, Kolawole Salami, objected to the admissibility of the documents on the grounds that “they emanated from the US Department of Justice through the US Consulate Office. They are public documents, but were not certified.
“The EFCC, not being the maker of the said documents, cannot purportedly certify the same.”
The judge, however, admitted the said documents as exhibits P8, P9 and P10, respectively.
In his further testimony, the PW6 admitted that though the first defendant stated during investigation that he owned the wristwatches recovered from him, he did not input the same in the Asset Declaration Form filled upon his arrest.
During cross-examination by the , the PW6 admitted that the defendant was arrested in 2019 and was earlier charged before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, for money laundering- related offenses, which is still pending before the court.
He admitted that the wristwatches were ordered to be released to the defendant by two separate orders of the Federal High Court.
The court orders were admitted as exhibits P11 and P12.
In his further testimony, the PW6, under cross-examination, told the court that the document referred to in count 7 was obtained in the absence of the defendant.
According to him, the defendant refused to make a statement when he was confronted with the document during investigations.
The witness, upon further cross-examination, admitted that no petition was received from Continental Diary Facility Southwest LLC in respect of the first defendant.
“It was the Commission who enquired from the company and a statement was made,” he said.
When asked by the defence counsel if the said statement of the company was before the court, the witness could not provide it.
The matter was adjourned till March 13, 2025 for further cross-examination and continuation of trial.