PEOPLES GAZETTE
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted two documents into evidence, alleging that the iPhone used by internet celebrity Ismaila Mustapha, better known online as Mompha, was used for fraudulent activities.
According to a report by Channels TV, on Monday, EFCC tendered the purported evidence before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja.
The reports are a letter by the EFCC to the United States of America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a report by the Bureau.
The EFCC charged Mr Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment, with 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 pretence, and use of property derived from an unlawful act on January 12, 2022.
The offence, according to the EFCC, is a violation of the Advance Fee Fraud Act of 2006 and the EFCC Act of 2004.
Mr Mompha had pleaded not guilty to all eight charges. He also pleaded not guilty to the first six counts.
Court session
In today’s hearings, Mr Mompha’s legal team, represented by Kolawole Salami, objected to the two documents being allowed as evidence.
The counsel explained that the documents were public records from the U.S. Consulate and needed to be certified before they could be used as evidence.
“The documents are not certified true copies, and should not be admitted in court,” Mr Salami told Judge Justice Dada, however, overruled the defence counsel’s objection and upheld the arguments of the prosecution who maintained that the FBI documents were original.
“The documents do not require certification,” Ms Dada ruled. Suleiman Suleiman, the attorney for the EFCC, had submitted the two documents through…
