Admin l Monday, March 28, 2022
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Acclaimed social media billionaire, Ismaila Mustapha aka Mompha who has been in incarceration for over two months over his failure to perfect N200 million bail with two sureties in like sum granted him on January 18, 2022 today got bail under new condition.
His plea for variation of bail from N200 million with two sureties in like sum to N25million with sureties in the like sum, through his counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN was today upheld by Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Upon his arrest on 10th January, 2022 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ismaila, was arraigned on a 8-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of over N6billion, along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.
Thereafter, the defendant was admitted to bail on January 18, 2022 in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum, one of the sureties must own property valued at N100million within the jurisdiction of the court.
Justice Dada, in giving consideration to Ismaila’s application said that the court is weary in granting the application even as the defence counsel urged the prosecution to see towards the possibility of some kind of variation, and noted that such is being hampered because of his detention.
The judge, however varied the bail conditions by granting temporary relief to the defendant N25million in like sum, present two sureties, one of the sureties must have a landed properties valued at N50 million within the jurisdiction of the state and must be produced by his lawyer.
Consequently, the prosecution, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo asked for a new date from the court and possible commencement of trial.
When the matter came up for trial, the prosecutor informed that the matter was for commencement of trial but requested for a stand down of the matter because the prosecution witness was being delayed by traffic.
The defence informed the court that the defendant has submitted his international passport to the court registrar and subsequently, presented a letter to that effect.
But the judge sought for the validity of the international passport and asked that a copy of it be printed from database, which was complied with by the defence. The matter has been adjourned to April 6, 2022 for continuation of trial.
