Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, better known as Mompha’s trial before a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, was stalled on Wednesday due to absence of the prosecution witness.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had charged Mompha before Justice Mojisola Dada for alleged N6 billion money laundering.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, informed the court that the prosecution’s witness was on training outside the country.
She prayed the court to allow the witness to give his evidence virtually.
She said, “We are sorry our witness could not make it to court today because he is out of the country for training. We pray my lord to allow the witnesses’ evidence to be taken virtually.”
But, her submission was opposed by the defendant’s counsel, Mr Kolawole Salami, who argued that the prosecution had ample time to prepare and brought their witnesses.
He said the prosecution had enough time to prepare and bring their witnesses only to make an application for virtual hearing without any notification.
Salami called on the court to dismiss the prosecution’s oral application for virtual hearing.
Justice Dada in a bench ruling overruled the submission of the prosecution, and adjourned to December 19, for continuation of trial.
At the last proceeding on September 18, EFCC had tendered some of documents through a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, Mr Ayotunde Solademi, against Mompha, who is being tried in absentia after he failed to appear before the court.
The documents were FBI’s report, and an investigative report on Mompha’s iPhone , which the agency claimed was used for fraudulent activities.
Mompha was arraigned on January 22 alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an eight-count charge.
He was charged with conspiracy to launder money obtained through unlawful activities, and laundering of money obtained through unlawful activities.
The others are retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, use of property derived from an unlawful act, possession of a document containing false pretences, and failure to disclose assets
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail. But Justice Dada revoked the bail after he failed to appear to continue with the trial.
The court had on June 22, issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his absence in court.
Meanwhile, Justice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has adjourned to December 11 and 14, for continuation of trial of a pastor, Elijah Emenandy for alleged sexual assault.
The state government has charged the defendant for sexual assault by penetration.
The prosecution said his offence contravene the provision of Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was arraigned. At resumed proceedings , the prosecution witness, Chigozie Emmanuel told the court how the defendant allegedly lured his church member to suck his private part, masturbate and eat feaces for spiritual purpose.
Emmanuel told the court how the defendant introduced him to pornography, masturbation and having anal sex with him in his church office.
The witness, who was led-in-evidence by the prosecution counsel, Mr Olu Azeez, said the incident occurred when he was 19 years old and the defendant was his pastor.
In his explanation, he said that the defendant, Emenandy, sometime in December 2020, told his, survivor mother that he had a vision that Emmanuel would die in February 2021 and requested that his mother should bring him for prayers immediately.
He told the court that the defendant tortured him, told him to feel the pains he felt, spiritually, when he disobeyed.
The survivor stated further that the defendant pierced his body, used St. Michael oil on his eyes and poured grounded pepper on his bleeding body and asked him to eat the feaces of a dog, which he did after much force and he vomited.
He said when he told his mother, she did not take him seriously, but the defendant sent a message again that he should see him immediately.
The witness noted that some days after, the pastor called him to his office and told him to take off his trousers, and that he should touch his manhood until he became hard, but he said he could not because he had never done that before.
