- By Halimah Olamide
If he believes that raising phantom accusations against the Commission will sacre it from diligently prosecuting his case, he is mistaken as no amount of scaremongering will deter the Commission from pursuing the case to logical conclusion
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has described as a “sinking man” Ismaila Mustapha, (a.k.a Mompha) for accusing the commission of corruption.
Mompha, who had responded to the commission’s claim of finding over N35bn in his accounts, described the EFCC as the most useless government agency.
EFCC called Mompha’s comment as “malicious and unsubstantiated.”
The EFCC said Mompha’s claim ought to be ignored as the ranting of a man 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,” the commission said in a statement by Dele Oyewale, its spokesman
The EFCC went further, “If he believes that raising phantom accusations against the Commission will sacre it from diligently prosecuting his case, he is mistaken as no amount of scaremongering will deter the Commission from pursuing the case to 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.”
The commission said its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has directed that Mompha be invited to produce evidence of any issue of corruption against any staff of the Commission.
“Besides, the socialite should also justify his labeling of the EFCC as a “useless agency” with evidential proofs.
“As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC would not sit back and allow libelous effusions against its reputation 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.
“The general public is, therefore, advised to ignore his ranting. Mompha should rather face his prosecution before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
Mompha is a socialite and internet celebrity who takes pride in display of stupendous wealth.
He has been accused severally of involvement in fraud.