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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted to the allegation of corruption levelled against it by embattled socialite and self-proclaimed Bureau De Change operator, Ismaila Mustapha popularly known as Mompha.
Mompha is currently being prosecuted by the anti-graft commission over eight counts of charges bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activities, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, and laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, among others.
At the resumption of his trial last Monday, the sixth prosecution witness, Idi Musa, told Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, how ₦35bn was discovered in two bank accounts linked to the defendant.
However, taking to his Instagram account on Friday, July 5, 2024, Mompha described the EFCC as the “most corrupt agency” in the country.
”The Most useless and Corrupt Nigeria Government Agency @officialefcc,” he said.
EFCC challenges Mompha to prove allegation
Reacting to the allegation in a statement by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Saturday, the EFCC openly invited the defendant to provide evidence against any corrupt operatives.
The commission also noted that Mompha's allegation is inimical to its integrity hence the need to set the record straight.
"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 corruption 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 scare it from diligently prosecuting his case, he is mistaken as no amount of scaremongering will deter the Commission from pursuing the case to a 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 labelling of the EFCC as a “useless agency” with evidential proof.
"As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC would not sit back and allow libellous effusions against its reputation to 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," read the statement.
Oyewale also urged members of the public to ignore Mompha's utterances, asking him to rather face his prosecution before a court of competent jurisdiction.