The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked Instagram celebrity Ismaila Mustapha, better known as Mompha, to prove his allegation of corruption.
Mompha earlier labelled the anti-graft agency as the “most useless and corrupt Nigeria government agency”.
His outburst on Instagram was in response to a statement by a witness presented in court by the EFCC that N35 billion was discovered in Mompha’s bank account.
Mompha is facing money laundering charges alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.
The anti-graft agency arraigned him in 2022 on an eight-count charge, including conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, and failure to disclose assets and property, among others.
He has since stopped attending trial.
Reacting to his allegation, the EFCC said in a statement on Saturday night by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, that the Instagram celebrity should provide prove for his claims.
The statement said, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to the malicious and unsubstantiated statement made by the embattled Ismaila Mustapha, (a.k.a Mompha) alleging coruption by operatives of the Commission.
“The claim, coming from an accused in a criminal trial for conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal activities, failure to disclose assets and property, ought to be ignored as the rantings of a sinking defendant. But his claims strike at the heart of the Commission’s most prized value – integrity and must be challenged.
“The Commission is alarmed that the accused will abandon the platform offered by the court to launch a media war against it through spurious claims.
“If he believes that raising phantom accusations against the Commission will sacre it from diligently prosecuting his case, he is mistaken as no amount of scaremongering will deter the Commission from pursuing the case to logical conclusion
“While Mompha may just be a drowning man clutching at any straw owing to the overwhelming evidence of his involvement in the money laundering case, his unsubstantiated claims against the EFCC is an issue the Commission is taking seriously.
“To this end, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has directed that Mompha be invited to bring clasping evidence of any issue of corruption against any staff of the Commission. Besides, the socialite should also justify his labeling of the EFCC as a ‘useless agency’ with evidential proofs.
“As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC would not sit back and allow libelous effusions against its reputation go unchallenged. Mompha, to all intents and purposes, cannot be expected to paint the EFCC in bright colours owing to the professional ways officers of the Commission are handling his matter. The EFCC would not be distracted in plying its job by antics of traducers like Mompha.
“The general public is, therefore, advised to ignore his ranting. Mompha should rather face his prosecution before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
