Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in the Lagos State High Court has varied the bail conditions for the embattled suspected internet fraudster, Ismaila Mustapha alias Mompha on Monday, March 28, 2022.
After his arrest on January 10, 2022 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ismaila was arraigned on a 8-count charge bordering on the offences of conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of over N6billion, along with his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited.
Consequently, the defendant was admitted to bail on January 18, 2022 in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum, one of the sureties must own property valued at N100million within the jurisdiction of the court.
Ismaila who has since been remanded in the Correctional centre of his choice for failure to perfect his bail conditions, on Monday, March 28, 2022 applied for variation of his bail conditions through his counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, SAN.
Justice Dada, in giving consideration to Ismaila’s application said that the court is weary in granting the application even as the defence counsel urged the prosecution to see towards the possibility of some kind of variation, and noted that such is being hampered because of his detention.
The judge, therefore varied the bail conditions by granting temporary relief to the defendant N25million in like sum, present two sureties, one of the sureties must have a landed properties valued at N50 million within the jurisdiction of the state and must be produced by his lawyer.
Thereafter, the prosecution, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo asked for a new date from the court and possible commencement of trial.
When the matter came up for trial, the prosecutor informed that the matter was for commencement of trial but requested for a stand down of the matter because the prosecution witness was being delayed by traffic.
In the meantime, the defence informed the court that the defendant has submitted his international passport to the court registrar and subsequently, presented a letter to that effect.
But the judge sought for the validity of the international passport and asked that a copy of it be printed from database, which was complied with by the defence.
The matter has been adjourned to April 6, 2022 for continuation of trial.
