SAN FRANCISCO, August 17, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has re-arrested internet celebrity Ismaila Mustapha, aka Mompha, who is facing money laundering charges before the Federal High Court.
Mompha was re-arrested on Friday when he visited the EFCC office in highbrow-Ikoyi, Lagos, to pick up some wristwatches, an Apple Air pod, an iPhone 8 mobile phone and a pair of sunglasses, seized from him by the anti-graft agency last year when he was arrested.
His lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), had written an application asking for the release of the items and Justice Mohammed Liman had on July 24 ordered the EFCC to release the items to Mompha.
The judge had ruled that since the items were not stated as exhibits in the money laundering charges filed against Mompha, the EFCC had no reason to hold onto them, dismissing the submission by the EFCC that Mompha was still under investigation for another offense, saying there was nothing before the court to back the submission.
“Failure to release the property is illegal. As of today, no charge has been filed regarding the items. It is too long to withhold the applicant properties,” the judge had held.
Mompha had hardly left the premises of the EFCC office in Ikoyi after collecting the items when operatives of the anti-graft agency blocked him and took him into custody.
ALSO READ: Lagos Police Foil Multi-Million Naira Fraud
Confirming his re-arrest, his lawyer, Oyewole said: “I am filing processes tomorrow (Tuesday). They didn’t tell us why they are detaining him. They have not told us the basis for this re-arrest. As far as we are concerned, the EFCC is seeking to overreach the court because this is coming after we filed our no-case submission to the charges. When they had the opportunity to amend their charges they didn’t and they are claiming that there is a new charge.”
The spokesman for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, also confirmed his re-arrest, said:
“The fresh arrest is unconnected to the existing charges in court. It is related to internet fraud.”
