EFFC Re Arrest Mompha: Who is Mompha?
by Rubaditsha
Updated May 16, 2023
Who is Mompha?
Muhammed Awal Mustapha, also known as Mompha Junior, has gained recognition as the world's youngest billionaire through his influential presence on social media. At just 9 years old, he captivates an audience of over 30,000 Instagram followers with glimpses of his extravagant lifestyle.
Despite his tender age, the Nigerian youngster already boasts remarkable accomplishments. At the age of 6, he became the proud owner of his very own mansion. Jet-setting around the globe is a regular occurrence for him, as he travels in style aboard a private jet. Impressively, he has also amassed a collection of luxury sports cars. In one of his posts, he confidently poses atop a Bentley, proudly proclaiming it as the first car gifted to him by his father. Hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, Mompha Junior is the son of a renowned internet personality and multimillionaire, Ismailia Mustapha, who is widely known as Mompha.
EFCC Re Arrest Mompha
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Monday that it has once again apprehended Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, a social media celebrity who had previously been charged with money laundering amounting to six billion naira.
During a session held at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, the EFCC's legal representative, Suleiman Suleiman, informed Justice Mojisola Dada that the prosecution, in cooperation with international partners, had successfully arrested Mompha.
Suleiman stated, "The prosecution would like to inform the court that, in collaboration with our international partners, we have managed to apprehend the defendant. Our intention is to take him into custody and present him before the court. The defendant's counsel has contacted me to request an adjournment as the defendant will be absent from court today." Consequently, Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the trial until July 3 to allow for the continuation of proceedings.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court had previously ordered on September 21, 2022, that the trial of the defendant should commence in absentia after Mompha failed to appear in court.
On January 22, 2022, the EFCC had initially arraigned Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment, on eight counts of money laundering, totaling six billion naira, to which he pleaded not guilty.
On June 22, 2022, the court issued a bench warrant for Mompha's arrest due to his repeated absence from court proceedings, leading to Justice Mojisola Dada revoking the defendant's bail.
Furthermore, on June 10, 2022, the EFCC accused Mompha of violating the court's order by traveling to Dubai with a new international passport.
The charges against Mompha include conspiracy to launder money obtained through illegal activities, actual money laundering, retention of proceeds from criminal conduct, use of property acquired through illegal means, possession of a document containing false pretenses, and failure to disclose assets.
Mompha News
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Monday, May 15, that Ismaila Mustapha, a well-known social media celebrity known as Mompha, who was charged with money laundering totaling N6 billion, has been re-arrested.
According to a statement from the EFCC, during a hearing on June 10, 2022, it was revealed that Mompha possessed an additional passport, which he had not disclosed to the court as part of his bail conditions. The commission informed the court that Mompha had used this undisclosed passport to travel from Ghana to Dubai on April 11, 2022, via Emirates Airlines, in direct violation of the court's order.
As a result, Justice DadaMo revoked the bail variation of N25 million that had been granted to Mompha and issued a bench warrant for his arrest due to his failure to appear in court. The EFCC also declared him wanted. Since June 16, 2022, Mompha had been absent from the trial, and the EFCC had been making ongoing efforts to secure his arrest and bring him before the court.
Due to Mompha's continued absence and the inability of both the prosecution and the defense to produce him in court, Justice Dada ordered on September 22, 2022, that the trial would proceed in his absence.
During the recent court proceedings, the EFCC's counsel, S.I. Suleiman, informed the court that the prosecution, in collaboration with international partners, had successfully apprehended Mompha.
Suleiman stated, "The prosecution would like to inform the court that, in collaboration with our international partners, we have managed to apprehend the defendant. Our intention is to take him into custody and present him before the court. The defendant's counsel has contacted me to request an adjournment as the defendant will be absent from court today."
Alleged N6bn fraud: EFCC re-arrests Mompha
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Monday, May 15, that Ismaila Mustapha, a popular social media celebrity known as Mompha, who was charged with money laundering totaling N6 billion, has been arrested again.
According to a statement from the EFCC, during a hearing on June 10, 2022, it was revealed that Mompha possessed an additional passport, which he had not disclosed to the court as part of his bail conditions. The commission informed the court that Mompha had used this undisclosed passport to travel from Ghana to Dubai on April 11, 2022, through Emirates Airlines, in direct violation of the court order. As a result, Justice DadaMo revoked the N25 million bail variation that had been granted to Mompha and issued a bench warrant for his arrest due to his failure to appear in court.
The EFCC had also declared Mompha wanted. The commission stated that since June 16, 2022, Mompha had absconded from the trial, and they continued their efforts to secure his arrest and ensure his appearance in court. Due to his ongoing absence and the inability of both the prosecution and the defense to produce him in court, Justice Dada ordered on September 22, 2022, that the trial would proceed in absentia.
During the recent court proceedings, S.I. Suleiman, the counsel for the EFCC, informed the court that the prosecution, in collaboration with international partners, had successfully arrested Mompha. Suleiman stated, "The prosecution would like to inform the court that, in collaboration with our international partners, we have apprehended the defendant. Our plan is to take him into custody and present him before the court. The counsel for the defendant has reached out to me, seeking an adjournment as he will be absent from court today."
Subsequently, Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case until July 3 to continue the trial.
Efcc Re Arrest Mompha:FAQs
Mompha, whose real name is Ismaila Mustapha, is a social media celebrity charged with money laundering totaling N6 billion. He was re-arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During a court hearing on June 10, 2022, it was revealed that Mompha possessed an undisclosed passport and had used it to travel from Ghana to Dubai, violating a court order. As a result, his bail was revoked, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mompha had been absent from the trial since June 16, 2022. Consequently, the EFCC declared him wanted and continued efforts to secure his arrest and appearance in court.
Due to Mompha's continued absence and the inability of the prosecution and defense to produce him in court, Justice Dada ordered on September 22, 2022, that the trial would continue even in his absence.