Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, has dismissed the no-case submission filed by social media celebrity Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, in an alleged ₦6 billion money laundering case.
Mompha and his company were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 12, 2022, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activities, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, failure to disclose assets, and possession of documents containing false pretences.
According to one of the charges, the defendants, alongside a suspect still at large, Ahmadu Mohammed, conspired in 2016 to conduct financial transactions amounting to ₦5,998,884,653.18 with intent to promote unlawful activities involving obtaining money by false pretence.
Mompha pleaded not guilty to all charges. The prosecution, led by counsel S.I. Suleiman, called five witnesses before closing its case. The defence counsel, Kolawole Salami, thereafter filed a no-case submission, contending that the prosecution failed to link his client to the alleged offences.
In her ruling on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Justice Dada held that the EFCC had successfully established a prima facie case against the defendants, warranting them to enter their defence.
Consequently, the judge dismissed the no-case submission and ordered the defendants to open their defence. The case was adjourned to January 27 and 28, 2026, for continuation of trial.
