Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, known as Mompha,
has reacted to being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission as he accused the agency of blackmail and intimidation.
Recall that on June 30 2022, Mompha’s absence
stalled his alleged N6 billion money laundering trial before Justice Mojisola
Dada of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Then in a notice on Wednesday signed by its spokesperson,
Wilson Uwajaren, the embattled social media celebrity was declared wanted for
criminal offence.
Reacting to the notice in lengthy Instagram posts on
Thursday, Mompha noted that EFCC, via its lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, used his
absence to blackmail him.
In the statement titled, ‘Mompha Wanted By The EFCC’ – The
Truth Story’, Mompha detailed the history of his arrest and arraignment by the
EFCC.
Mompha said, “After my arrest and arraignment on the first
case at the Federal High Court Lagos, on the 10th of December 2021, the court
gave me judgment and ordered EFCC to release my wrist watches and other valuables
in their custody to me for having been unlawfully seized.
“Being a bitter agency, the EFCC in dissatisfaction with the
judgment of the court on the release of my wristwatches came up with other
trumped up charges against me.
“On the 10th of January 2022, while I was at there office at
Okotie Eboh to retrieve my wristwatches in compliance with the judgment of the
court and immediately after collecting my wristwatches, they held me down at
their office and charged me to court the following day on the frivolous
charges.
“I was arraigned before a familiar judge to the EFCC and in
effect,I was given a very difficult bail to meet as a result of which I ended
up spending over two months in prison custody while making efforts to meet the
difficult bail.
“After several
attempts to meet the bail conditions failed, I successfully applied for the
bail conditions to be reduced which eventually led to my release.
“Upon my release, I traveled outside Nigeria to check on the
welfare and wellbeing of my family and returned to Nigeria shortly only for the
EFCC Corrupt lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, rather than focus on the establishing his
criminal case against me along with the EFCC operative Kaina Garba, chose to
capitalize on the fact that I travelled to blackmail me into entering plea
bargain with EFCC else he would inform the Judge I travelled and ensure my bail
is revoked therefore making me have no choice than to dance to his tune.
“I initially refused but after so much blackmail and
intimidation by Rotimi Oyedepo, I succumbed and was told to pay N142 million
naira to EFCC as compensation and also sign for a one year imprisonment
sentence which I was uncomfortable with and they thereafter reduced it to N40
million naira and one year imprisonment.
“When it became obvious to EFCC that I wasn’t going to sign
the plea bargain and play to their game, they informed the Judge I travelled,
without any concrete evidence and disregard.”
Speaking on being declared wanted, Mompha added, “Finally it
was obvious entering the plea bargain with the EFCC, which they wanted to force
me into at all cost, means I would be convicted for a crime I did not commit
and therefore become an ex convict.
“And this is what EFCC set out to achieve with me to enable
them generate more social media publicity hence the desperation in falsely
declaring me wanted and misleading the public.
“I want the general public to know I am not wanted by the
EFCC but rather the court issued bench warrant for my production in court on
the next court sitting.
“I didn’t steal from anyone or involved in any money
laundering. I still don’t know why EFCC are so jobless that they want to
tarnish my image. last last na international court go settle this matter.”
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