The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly rebuked online celebrity Mompha for accusing the agency of corruption.
Mompha, who is under investigation by the EFCC for money laundering and related offenses, recently made public statements labeling the EFCC as the most corrupt and useless agency.
In response, EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, issued a statement on behalf of the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede. Olukoyede challenged Mompha to substantiate his claims of corruption within the agency. He directed Mompha to appear at the EFCC office to provide evidence supporting his accusations against any staff member and to justify his characterization of the EFCC as “useless.”
The Chairman expressed disappointment at what he termed as a “media war and unsubstantiated accusations” by Mompha. He affirmed the EFCC’s commitment to proceeding with Mompha’s case until a resolution is reached.
The statement; “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to the malicious and unsubstantiated statement made by the embattled Ismaila Mustapha, (a.k.a Mompha) alleging corruption by operatives of the Commission.
The claim, coming from an accused in a criminal trial for conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal activities, and 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.
If he believes that raising phantom accusations against the Commission will prevent 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.
To this end, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede has directed that Mompha be invited to bring clasping 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 proof.
As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC would not sit back and allow libelous effusions against its reputation go unchallenged. Mompha 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 the 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.”
