The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented additional documents as evidence in the ₦6 billion money laundering case against social media personality Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, on Monday.
According to DAILY POST, the case is currently being heard at an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Mustapha, who is still at large, is standing trial alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd., on eight charges of money laundering.
Musa Idi, the sixth prosecution witness, gave his testimony under the direction of EFCC counsel Suleiman Suleiman.
During the continuation of his evidence-in-chief on Monday, Idi presented documents said to have been received from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Defence counsel Kolawole Salami challenged the admissibility of the documents, arguing that they came from the U.S. Department of Justice through the U.S. Consulate and, being public documents, were not certified.
He argued that since the EFCC was not the originator of the documents, it lacked the authority to certify them.
In her ruling, Justice Mojisola Dada accepted the documents as Exhibits P8, P9, and P10.
The prosecution witness testified that Mompha acknowledged during the investigation that the wristwatches seized by the anti-graft agency belonged to him.
“Even though he did not declare them in the Asset Declaration Form filled upon his arrest,” Musa said.
During cross-examination by the defence, the witness confirmed that Mompha was arrested in 2019 and had previously been charged with money laundering offences at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, with the case still ongoing.
He informed the court that two separate orders from the Federal High Court had instructed the release of the wristwatches to the defendant, but the EFCC had failed to comply with these orders.
The witness stated that the document referenced in count seven was obtained in Mompha’s absence, and when he was shown the document during the investigation, he denied any knowledge of it.
Idi admitted that Continental Diary Facility Southwest LLC had not filed any petition against Mompha. Instead, the commission had approached the company, which led to the statement being made.
The court adjourned the trial to March 13 for continuation.
