Court grants Instagram celebrity Mompha N200 million bail

By ADEBISI ONANUGA

Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday granted a Dubai- based internet celebrity Ismailia Mustapha aka Mompha bail of N200 million with two sureties in the like sum.

The court granted his application for bail filed through his lawyer Gboyega Oyewole (SAN).

Justice Dada ordered that one of two sureties must own property valued at N100million within the jurisdiction.

The court also ordered his remand in the custody of a Correctional Centre of his choice in Lagos pending perfection of his bail while his international passport already submitted, is to remain in the custody of the court’s registrar.

Justice Dada granted bail to Mompha after listening to the argument from both Oyewole and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo.

Earlier before the ruling of the court, Oyewole had prayed the court to grant his client bail for him to prepare for his defence in another trial before Justice Mohammed Liman of Federal High Court.

The senior lawyer argued that Justice Liman had been transferred out of Lagos but has been given fiat to continue with the matter, though, no date has been fixed for defendant to open his defence.

In his 18- paragraph affidavit in support of his bail application which was deposed to by Adefolaju Ademola, he said defendant (Mompha) has never jumped bail or missed any date of his trial before Justice Liman.

Oyewole further submitted that even when he had COVID 19, he complied with the order of the court.

“When he had COVID 19, his medical was registered outside the country. We attached all the reports to the letter I personally signed to send to EFCC to assure the commission that by January my client will have been fully recuperated and he did. He walked by himself to the EFCC as I promised. He was never arrested anywhere.”

The EFCC counsel, Oyedepo had in a counter-affidavit told the court that the defendant, within the last seven months, complied with the court order.

He said the defendant was supposed to limit himself to UAE.

He alleged that he violated the court order.

Oyedepo prayed the court to take all measures necessary to prevent undue delay and ensure accelerated trial.

The EFCC had arraigned Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Limited for alleged money laundering to the tune of over N6billion.

He is facing an eight-count charge bordering on the offences of money laundering.

The counts were conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of such funds, transfer of funds for a suspect Olayinka Jimoh a.k.a Nappy Boy, and unlawful transfer of funds for a record label, among others.

The sums named in the charge seen by The Nation are N5,998,884.653.18, N32million, N120million and N15,960,000, totalling over N6billion.

The EFCC also alleged that Mompha concealed his interest inexpensive wristwatches and an iPhone valued at over N70million.

They are: “Rolex Oyster Perpetual Wristwatch, Audemars Piguet Wristwatch, Audemars Piguet-J46220 Wristwatch, XY Hublot-1321920 Wristwatch, XY Hublot-924206 Wristwatch and an iPhone 8 with Serial No. CBPVF1KJC6C, worth over N70million.”

Mompha pleaded “not guilty” to the eight counts preferred against him while his company, Islamob Limited (represented by Mompha) also pleaded “not guilty” to the first six counts. (The Nation)