A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has struck out the ₦6 billion money laundering case instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against popular social media personality and businessman, Ismaila Mustapha, widely known as Mompha.
Justice Mojisola Dada, who delivered the ruling on Tuesday, discharged Mompha after holding that the prosecution amounted to an abuse of court process because a similar case was already pending before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The judge ruled that pursuing parallel proceedings over similar allegations constituted forum shopping, a practice considered an improper use of judicial processes.
Consequently, the court struck out all eight counts brought against Mompha and discharged him, bringing the proceedings before the Lagos State Special Offences Court to an end.
The ruling marks a significant development in the protracted legal battle between the businessman and the anti-graft agency, which had accused him of involvement in financial transactions allegedly linked to unlawful activities.
Mompha and his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, were arraigned by the EFCC on January 12, 2022, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, failure to disclose assets and possession of documents allegedly containing false pretences.
According to the prosecution, Mompha, his company and one Ahmadu Mohammed, said to be at large, allegedly conspired in 2016 to conduct financial transactions amounting to ₦5,998,884,653.18.
The EFCC alleged that the transactions were intended to facilitate unlawful activities, including obtaining money by false pretence.
However, Mompha consistently denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the trial, the prosecution, represented by S.I. Suleiman, called six witnesses and tendered documentary evidence in support of its case.
The defence, led by Kolawole Salami, challenged the prosecution’s evidence and maintained that the EFCC had failed to establish the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
In November 2025, Justice Dada dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defendants, holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring them to enter their defence.
The defendants subsequently challenged that decision, while proceedings continued before the trial court.
At the conclusion of the hearing in June 2026, both parties adopted their final written addresses, with the prosecution urging the court to convict the defendants and the defence insisting that the allegations had not been proved.
The court initially reserved judgment for October 15, 2026.
However, delivering her decision on Tuesday, Justice Dada resolved the matter on the question of abuse of court process, rather than determining whether the prosecution had established Mompha’s guilt.
She held that the existence of similar proceedings before the Federal High Court rendered the case before her court an improper duplication of judicial proceedings.
The judge consequently struck out the charges and discharged the defendants.
Kolawole Salami and Ademola Adefolaju represented the defendants, while Suleiman appeared for the EFCC.
Although the ruling terminates the ₦6 billion prosecution before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, it does not necessarily end Mompha’s legal troubles, as the separate proceedings before the Federal High Court remain a distinct matter.
The decision also does not amount to an acquittal on the merits of the money laundering allegations.
