Court admits Mompha’s iPhone as exhibit in money laundering trial
The Ikeja Special Offences Court, on Tuesday, admitted further evidence in the ongoing trial of Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha.
Mompha is facing trial over alleged N6bn money laundering before Justice Mojisola Dada.
He is being tried, alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, on eight counts bordering on conspiracy, retention of proceeds of crime, failure to disclose assets and properties, possession of documents containing false pretences, the use of properties derived from unlawful acts, and laundering of N6bn, preferred against him, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Dada had granted Mompha bail in the sum of N200m, with two sureties in like sum.
At the resumed hearing of the trial on Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission counsel, Suleiman Suleiman, continued its case with testimony from Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Detective Idi Musa.
While testifying, Musa presented Mompha’s iPhone in court, claiming it was used in fraudulent activities, and sought to tender it as evidence.
The defence counsel, Ademola Adefolaju, objected to the submission, arguing that the prosecution had not laid a proper foundation regarding the iPhone.
He urged the court to reject it.
“My Lord, I object to its admissibility on the grounds that proper foundation has not been laid regarding the iPhone,” Adefolaju stated.
However, Justice Dada overruled the objection and agreed with the prosecution’s argument.
The EFCC explained that the iPhone was recovered during the investigation and sent to the FBI for forensic analysis. A representative from the FBI, testifying as PW3, confirmed that documents retrieved from the iPhone were submitted to the court as evidence.
Consequently, the judge admitted the iPhone as evidence and marked it as Exhibit P7.
Justice Dada, however, adjourned the case to February 3, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
