Mompha charges EFCC N5m lawsuit against his re-arrest

Social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha popularly known as Mompha has instituted a N5 million lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC over his recent arrest.

We had earlier reported that Mompha was re-arrested last Friday, August 14 when he went to the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos to reclaim his five wristwatches, one Apple Air pod, one iPhone 8 mobile phone and one pair of sunglasses, seized by the EFCC operatives last October. Following an application by his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Justice Mohammed Liman had on July 24 ordered the EFCC to release the items to Mompha.

Mompha had gone to the EFCC to pick up his item last Friday. He had barely left the EFCC premises when operatives of the anti-graft agency waylaid him and took him into custody. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said Mompha’s re-arrest was connected to a fresh set of cyber fraud charges.

In a suit filed before the Federal High Court Lagos by his lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) today August 18, Mompha prayed the court to mandate the EFCC to pay him N5m for what he termed his “unlawful re-arrest and detention.” He urged the court to declare that the continued seizure of the items violated his right to own property under Section 44 of the constitution.

The court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of Mompha’s suit.