Lukman Olabiyi
Prosecution Witness yesterday told Justice Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos, that social media influencer, Ismaila Mustapha (aka Mompha) who is standing trial over alleged money laundering runs an unregistered Bureau de Change Company.
Mompha who is standing trial alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investments Limited, was docked before Justice Liman ,on a 14-count charge bordering on cyber fraud and money laundering to the tune of N33 billion.
The defendant who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was fingered as a major figure in an organised transnational cyber fraud network, allegedly used his company, Ismalob Investment Limited, to launder the funds, part of which he used in acquiring properties in Dubai.
At the resumed sitting yesterday , the EFCC presented the fourth prosecution witness, a Compliance Officer with the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), Enu Matthew Obun.
Obun, while being led in evidence by the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that in November 15, 2019, SCUML received a letter from the EFCC requesting for the regulation and compliance status of Ismalob Global Investment Limited and consequent upon inspection, it was discovered that Ismalob is not registered with the SCUML.
“From the database search at the office, there is no information on Ismalob Global Investment Limited, and all the transactions that were done on the company’s account between December 14, 2015 and January 25, 2018 are not on SCUML’s record”, he said.