By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos.

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday closed the defence of social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, in his ongoing six billion naira money laundering trial.

Mompha is being prosecuted alongside his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Ltd, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder illicit funds, retention of proceeds of crime and non-disclosure of assets.

The defendant, who was arraigned on January 12, 2022, is being tried in absentia.

Trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada, ordered the closure of the defence after counsel failed to call any witness.

The judge also set aside a witness summons filed by the defence, describing it as erroneous and an attempt to delay proceedings.

Justice Dada faulted the move by the defence to call a prosecution witness as its own, noting that it would create confusion in the trial.

“A witness testified for the prosecution and you now want to bring him as your defence witness. Do not bring confusion here,” she said.

“If you do not have a witness, close your defence. This is a tactic to waste the time of the court.”

She added that the witness summons was signed in error and had been set aside, stressing that the defence had already exhausted its opportunity to cross-examine the witness.

“There is nothing new the witness will come to say that the defence has not already addressed. The defence had ample opportunity to cross-examine,” she held.

The court subsequently directed parties to file and exchange their final written addresses.

Justice Dada adjourned the case until June 30 for adoption of final written addresses.

Earlier, defence counsel, Mr Kolawole Salami, had told the court that efforts to produce witnesses were unsuccessful, as one of them was unavailable and outside the court’s jurisdiction.

He also sought to rely on a witness summons to compel the attendance of a prosecution witness as a defence witness.

However, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Suleiman Suleiman, opposed the application, arguing that it was aimed at delaying the trial.

“This court has given the defence ample time to present its case. This is an attempt to waste the time of the court,” he said, urging the court to close the defence.

Meanwhile, the court granted the defence leave to appeal its ruling of November 4, 2025, which dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defendants.

The defence had, on February 23, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, insisting that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.

On the same date, Salami informed the court that a key witness was unavailable, being outside the court’s jurisdiction and unaware of the hearing date, and sought an adjournment.

The court, however, warned against further delay tactics, describing the adjournment as the last opportunity for the defence.