Mompha regains freedom, drops N5m suit against EFCC

Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Mompha, who is answering N32bn fraud charges before the Federal High Court in Lagos, was released on Wednesday – about two weeks after he was re-arrested by the anti-graft agency.

He was re-arrested on August 14 when he went to the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos to reclaim his belongings that were seized from him by the anti-graft agency since last year.

His visit to the EFCC office followed a July 24 ruling by Justice Mohammed Liman ordering the release of the items to him.

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EFCC, however, stated that Mompha’s re-arrest was justified as it was connected to a fresh set of cyber fraud, which had nothing to do with the earlier money laundering charges over which he had been arraigned.

Mompha, through his lawyer Mr. Gbenga Oyewole insisted that his re-arrest was unlawful and slammed a N5 million suit against the EFCC.

But his lawyer Oyewole confirmed on Wednesday that Mompha had withdrawn the N5 million fundamental rights suit he filed against the anti-graft agency.

He also stated that Mompha was released on bail.