A Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has struck out the alleged N6 billion fraud case against socialite Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha.
Judge Mojisola Dada delivered the judgment on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. According to her, a similar case at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, made the prosecution an abuse of court process.
Mompha faced trial alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited. The EFCC filed eight charges against them.
These included alleged conspiracy, money laundering and keeping proceeds of unlawful activities. Other charges involved failure to declare assets and possession of documents containing false pretences.
Why the court struck out the case
After his arraignment, Mompha remained in EFCC custody. The court later granted him bail of N200 million.
However, he could not meet the bail conditions. It subsequently reduced the amount to N25 million.
In her judgment, Dada held that the similar case at the Federal High Court made the proceedings an abuse of court process. She also ruled that the prosecution amounted to forum shopping.
Mompha reacts to judgment
Mompha welcomed the ruling in an Instagram post. He described it as the end of a seven-year legal battle.
According to the socialite, the case began in 2019 when he returned to Nigeria to invest in the economy. He accused the EFCC of disrupting his life with what he called trumped-up charges.
“A battle of victimisation, harassment and intimidation that started in 2019 has finally ended in victory. It all started when I came into the country in 2019 with the intention of investing in the economy but was accosted by the EFCC on trumped-up charges which halted my life for over seven (7) years without any justification,” he wrote.
Mompha thanked the judge, his family and friends for their support. He also praised his lawyers, Gboyega Oyewole SAN, Kolawole Salami and Ademola Adefolaju.
“Now I can have my freedom and peace as I have been vindicated with this Judgment. I thank Almighty Allah, my friends and family, who stood by me and most importantly, my team of lawyers, comprising Gboyega Oyewole SAN, Kolawole Salami, and Ademola Adefolaju, for all their efforts from the commencement of this case up until this judgment.”
He maintained that he had always believed in his innocence.
“I have always maintained my innocence and believe that in the long run, I will be victorious despite the tribulations, and the same has been confirmed with today’s judgment in my favour.”
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