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Tag: Ricky Tarfa

  • Court dismisses Tarfa’s bid to stall trial

    Court dismisses Tarfa’s bid to stall trial

    A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere on Friday refused to stay proceedings in a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ricky Tarfa.

    Justice A. A. Akintoye rejected Tarfa’s application filed through his counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), seeking to restrain the court from hearing a 27-count charge against him, until the Court of Appeal decides an appeal on the matter.

    The EFCC arraigned Tarfa on March 10 for allegedly offering a N5.3million gratification to a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, in order to compromise the judge.

    The commission alleged that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches to the judge and that the offence was contrary to Section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, No.11, 2011.

    The charge also included allegations of wilful obstruction of authorised EFCC officials, refusal to declare assets and making false information.

    At the commencement of proceedings on Friday, Owonikoko told the court that the defendant had filed an application for stay of proceedings pending when the Court of Appeal will hear his appeal on the April 22 ruling.

     

  • Tarfa must explain contact with judge – Court

    Tarfa must explain contact with judge – Court

    A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere on Tuesday assumed jurisdiction in the two- count charge filed against the embattled Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rickey Tarfa, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Aishat Opesanwo dismissed Tarfa’s preliminary objection to the charges – obstructing officers of law from carrying out their duties and attempting to pervert the cause of justice by communicating with a Federal High Court judge handling a suit he filed against the commission.

    She ruled that the information filed by the EFCC against Tarfa suggested that the lawyer “had some explaining to do,” on why he allegedly contacted the judge.

    Tarfa had, in an application filed through his counsel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), argued that the case was an abuse of court process and urged the court to quash the charge and decline jurisdiction.

    Owonikoko argued among others that the authority of EFCC to prosecute is limited to economic and financial crimes, which the alleged offences of obstructing officers of law and attempting to perverse the cause of justice were not.

    The lawyer told the court that the EFCC had no powers to prosecute general criminal offences outside its jurisdiction.

    He added that the allegations against Tarfa are currently before the Court of Appeal, insisting that the matter constitutes an abuse of court process.

     

  • EFCC accuses Tarfa of “lying about bribe to judge’

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday opposed a move by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, to reopen hearing on his N2.5billion fundamental rights suit and to adduce further evidence.

    Justice Mohammed Idris had adjourned until Monday for judgment, but Tarfa said the new evidence was not available at the time his case was argued.

    The Senior Advocate sued EFCC for allegedly violating his rights after he was arrested for hiding two suspects, Nazaire Sorou Gnanhoue and Modeste Finagnon, both Beninoise, in his Mercedes Benz Sports Utility (SUV) vehicle, thereby shielding them from arrest.

    EFCC, its chairman Ibrahim Magu, Moses Awolusi, who arrested Tarfa, and Deputy Director Operations, EFCC, Lagos office, Iliyasu Kwarbai are the respondents.

    Tarfa demanded N2.5billion, sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further violating his rights, and asked for N20 million as cost of the suit, among others.

    Tarfa’s lawyer, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), who led five other SANs, including Oluyele Delano, Abiodun Owonikoko, Dr. Muiz Banire, Sylva Ogwemoh and Uche Obi, as well as tens of other lawyers, urged the court to allow the use of further and better affidavit.

    Ayorinde said the new affidavit was deposed to by a lawyer, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa, who swore that the bank account said to be owned by Justice Mohammed Yunusa, through which Tarfa allegedly paid the judge N225,000, belongs to the lawyer and not the judge.

    The Senior Advocate said the money contributed by some lawyers for Justice Yunusa when he was bereaved was different from the one EFCC alleged Tarfa paid into the judge’s account.

    Ayorinde said after admitting that a donation was made to the judge, Tarfa realised that N225,000 was actually given to a lawyer in his firm.

    “This is a court of law, equity and justice. If, this morning, new information comes to us, we have to put it forward. The account they attribute to Justice Yunusa does not belong to him,” he said.

    Ayorinde said Tarfa was not attempting to arrest the judgment.

    “The evidence was not available as at the time we took the arguments. It behooves your Lordship to consider it,” he added.

    But EFCC’s lawyer, Wahab Shittu, opposed the application, saying it was an after-thought designed to confuse issues and mislead the court.

    He described Tarfa’s claim as “blatant falsehood,” adding that “the facts cannot be twisted or misrepresented in any way whatsoever.”

  • ‘Tarfa didn’t pay money to judge’s account’

    The bank account allegedly owned by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, through which a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, allegedly paid him N225,000, belongs to a lawyer, Mohammed Awwal Yunusa.

    This is contained in an affidavit filed by Yunusa in support of Tarfa’s fundamental rights suit.

    Yunusa said the account belongs to him and not to Justice Yunusa as EFCC alleged.

    The lawyer said Tarfa gave him N225, 000 on January 7, 2014 to help finance his Masters Degree programme in Law.

    EFCC had alleged that Tarfa paid Justice Yunusa the money on January 7, 2014, but Yunusa said he was the one who was paid the money on that date and not the judge.

    He exhibited the Access Bank cheque issued to him by Tarfa, as well as his statement of account issued by the bank’s branch in NNPC Towers Branch, Abuja, with account name: Mohammed A. Yunusa.

    Yunusa, who said he worked in Tarfa’s firm before proceeding on his master’s programme, said he was not related in any way to Justice Yunusa.

    According to him, the firm’s accountant informed him that the cheque issued to him was the only one issued by Rickey Tarfa & Co on that date.

    “I hail from Kogi State and I am not in any way related to the Honourable Justice Mohammed N. Yunusa, neither do I know him personally,” he said.

    Tarfa, in an affidavit filed by his head of chambers, John Odubela, had denied bribing the judge with the money or “any other sum at all,” but admitted that the N225,000 was a donation from him and some of his friends towards the burial of Justice Yunusa’s father-in-law who died on December 28, 2013.

     

  • Tarfa to compensate EFCC, Falana after withdrawing N5bn suit

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday asked a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, to pay punitive cost of N10, 000 each to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) for withdrawing a suit filed against them.

    Tarfa had filed the fresh suit over an alleged unauthorised access to his mobile phones.

    He demanded N5billion for the alleged violation of his right to privacy.

    Tarfa, who also joined EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu and a foreigner, Mrs. Rashidatou Abdou, will pay N50, 000 to the respondents.

    It was the second fundamental rights suit Tarfa would file since his arrest for alleged obstruction of justice.

    A lawyer from his chambers, O. Oladele, moved an ex parte application which sought to discontinue the case.

    Tarfa gave no reason for withdrawing the action.

    EFCC lawyers, Mr. Wahab Shittu and Rotimi Oyedepo, did not oppose the suit’s withdrawal.

    They, however, urged the court to award punitive cost against Tarfa.

    “We have no objection to the discontinuance of the suit but we want the court to award a punitive cost against the applicant. Our names have been flying around in the major newspapers since yesterday,” Shittu said.

    Oladele argued that the respondents had no right of reply because his application was an ex-parte one.

    Besides, he said Tarfa did not serve the respondents with the suit, therefore they did not suffer any inconvenience or incur expenses to warrant financial compensation.

  • Court refuses to stop Tarfa’s arraignment

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday refused to grant an application stopping the arraignment of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Rickey Tarfa.

    Justice Mohammed Idris held that he lacks jurisdiction to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arraigning him.

    The commission charged Tarfa with unlawful obstruction of investigation and perversion of the course of justice before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere.

    No fewer than 34 SANs enlisted to represent Tarfa, but six of them were in court on Friday, namely ‎Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, Dr. Joseph Nwobike, Mr. Babajide Koku, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Mrs. Abimbola Akeredolu.

    They brought an application praying the court to order the release of Tarfa’s phone and vehicle allegedly seized by EFCC.

    Tarfa also filed a N2.5billion suit against the EFCC on February 9, seeking the enforcement of his fundamental rights.

    Ayorinde urged Justice Idris to make a consequential order that parties should maintain status quo.

    But EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed the application, saying such an order would restrain the EFCC from arraigning Tarfa.

    ‎”I will urge Your Lordship not to hearken to that prayer. As of today, the applicant before Your Lordship is to be arraigned before your learned brother Honourable Justice Opesanwo of the Lagos State High Court next week Thursday. ‎The defendant has been notified to produce the applicant on that date.

    “If Your Lordship makes an order to maintain the status quo, then the honourable court would be crippling the defendant from arraigning the applicant,” Oyedepo argued.

    He said Ayorinde’s application was designed to frustrate Tarfa’s arraignment.

  • Two days after, Ricky Tarfa gets bail

    Two days after, Ricky Tarfa gets bail

    •Lawyers slam EFCC

    Lagos lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for obstruction was released last night after spending almost 48 hours in detention.

    Tarfa was released at 6.10 pm to the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN).

    Before he was released, lawyers criticised the EFCC for detaining the lawyer.

    Tarfa was held at the commission’s Lagos office following his arrest by the anti-graft agency at the premises of the Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Friday, following a five-hour stand-off when the EFCC attempted to re-arrest two of his clients, who were out on bail.

    The senior lawyer had gone to court to represent two Benin Republic nationals, Gnahouse Sonrou Nazaire and Senoue Modeste, who were standing trial before Justice Raliat Adebiyi over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and uttering.

    After the proceedings, the commission’s operatives attempted to re-arrest the Beninoise for a separate ongoing investigation.

    It was alleged that the defendants hid in Tarfa’s car from about 12 noon till about 5pm before the EFCC operatives could effect their arrest.

    Tarfa was also arrested for allegedly obstructing officers of the commission from performing their duties by preventing the arrest of an individual, who has a case to answer with the anti-graft agency.

    According to a statement from Rickey-Tarfa & Co, efforts by NBA president Austin Alegeh and more than 10 other senior lawyers to get Tarfa released to the NBA president’s custody on Saturday were not successful.

    “The NBA president was kept waiting in the office of EFCC from about 2:00pm till 8:00pm with no responsible official to discuss or process the bail, contrary to the assurance given to him (NBA President) by EFCC,” the statement said.

    Former Presidents of the NBA, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Prof. Kanyisola Ajayi (SAN) and Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) all condemned the detention without bail.

    Dauda said: “We shall consult with the president and take a united action against that at the Bar to protect the interest of Nigerian lawyers.”

    Akeredolu attributed the arrest to overzealousness of the commission’s operatives.

    “This is utter disregard for the rule of law and the sanctity of the legal profession guaranteed by the constitution,” he said.

    Ajayi said: “I don’t know what the allegation against Ricky Tarfa is, but if he was arrested for obstructing justice, then it would be most unfortunate if he isn’t given bail because it is not that serious an offence that should even require any form of detention.”

    Ngige urged the commission to follow due process in carrying out its duties.

    He said: “Nobody is against the war against corruption, nobody is against the EFCC; we support the anti-graft war 100 per cent, but let due process be followed in doing this.”

    The EFCC’s next line of action on the matter could not be obtained yesterday from the commission’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, as his line was switched off.

    Tarfa is a lawyer with over two decades of experience at the Bar and runs a law firm with over 50 lawyers, 30 paralegal and support staff, as well as two retired judges as consultants-in-chamber.

  • Group heads to court to challenge Anambra LG election

    Group heads to court to challenge Anambra LG election

    Association of aggrieved councillorship candidates in Awka-South Local Government Area of Anambra State yesterday insisted that election did not hold in their various wards last Saturday.

    The candidates vowed to engage the services of Ricky Tarfa (SAN), a legal luminary, to challenge the results announced by ANSIEC Chairman, Sylvester Okonkwo.

    The councillors are Azuka Nwobu of Labour Party, Nnonyelu Ejike of PPN , Nwosu Chika of PDP Awka ward 4, Agumadu Chinedu of PPA, Molokwu Ekene of Accord Party , Okafor Daniel Nonso of PDP ward 6, Ekwenugo Jonas of PDP ward 5, Ndigwe Daddy and Nnamdi Carter, among others.

    They claimed the election was a rape of democracy in Awka South and urged the Chief Judge of the state not to bother himself setting up local government electoral tribunal since election did not hold in Awka South.

    The group viewed the government action as an act of political rascality that can never stand.

    There is total confusion in the ranks of the Coalition of Accredited Election Observers in Nigeria.

    A group of 29 observers are of the opinion that the local government poll throughout the 21 council areas was fraught with irregularities.

     

  • Nnamani’s request to travel abroad ploy to delay trial – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday told a Federal High Court, Lagos, that the request by former Enugu State Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, to seek medical treatment abroad, was a ploy to delay his trial.

    Mr Kelvin Uzozie, the commission’s counsel, made the assertion at the resumed hearing of the money laundering case against Nnamani.

    The ex governor had on Monday filed an application through his counsel, Mr Ricky Tarfa, seeking leave of the court to travel overseas for medical treatment.

    An affidavit deposed to by one Ayo Ambali, stated that sometime in 2008, Nnamani was diagnosed of ”hypercloclesterolemnia”– which doctors described as a condition characterised by very high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

    He further stated that the accused was also diagnosed of a high level Serum Prostate Surface Antigem (SPA), for which he had been to the United States of America severally for medical treatment.

    He had urged the court to grant the accused leave to go for treatment abroad.

    But Uzozie said that the accused, who had previously been granted similar requests in 2008 and 2012, had now adopted this tactics to delay his trial.

    According to him, when the previous leave was granted in 2008, Nnamani lingered in the United States beyond the stipulated period.

    The counsel said it took the assistance of the America security agencies to facilitate the repatriation of the ex-governor.

    He said that even when Nnamani returned to the country, he failed to surrender his international passport to the EFCC, as directed by the court.

    Uzozie also said that the accused had not in any way shown that the illness could not be treated in Nigeria.

    He, therefore, urged the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa to dismiss the application and order the accused to face his trial.

    The defence counsel, however, told the court that Section 14 of the Evidence Act, required an accused to state the circumstances of his illness in certain situations.

    Tarfa said that the accused has by his application, sufficiently given details of the illness for which he required routine medical treatment abroad.

    He, therefore, urged the court to grant the accused leave to travel overseas for treatment.

    Yunusa, however, reserved his ruling on this application for April 17.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Nnamani is facing trial alongside seven others, on 105-count charge of money laundering.

    Others  are: Sunday Anyaogu, Rainbownet (Nig.) Ltd, Hillgate (Nig.) Ltd, Cosmos FM, Capital City Automobile (Nig.) Ltd, Renaissance University Teaching Hospital and Mea Mater Elizabeth High School.

    The accused were re-arraigned on March 7, following the transfer of Justice Charles Archibong to another division of the court.

    Yunusa now becomes the third trial judge to hear the matter.

    The first judge was Justice Tijani Abubakar.

     

     

  • Bribery scandal: Lawan, Emenalo granted bail

    Bribery scandal: Lawan, Emenalo granted bail

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday granted the former Chairman, House of Representatives ad -hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime, Farouk Lawan, bail.

    Lawan, a serving lawmaker from Kano State, is standing trial for allegedly receiving 3.5 million dollars (about N625 million) bribe.

    Delivering the ruling, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi held that Section 35 (5) of the 1999 Constitution considers the accused innocent in such matter until proven guilty.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the second accused,  Boniface Emenalo, was also granted bail.

    The prosecution had alleged that Emenalo, an assistant director, who acted as the Secretary of the Committee, received 120,000 dollars (about N18 million) from the deal.

    “I have studied the submissions of counsel to parties in this matter and the court is disposed to admitting the accused persons to bail.

    “The bail sum is N10 million with two sureties. The bail is, however, free but it becomes effective upon the fulfillment of the stated conditions.

    “The accused persons are not expected to travel out of the country during the pendency of the trial and therefore, they are mandated to surrender their travel passports to the registrar of the court.

    “The court’s decision to admit the accused persons on bail is also predicated on the conviction that they would not jump justice.

    “In fact, the report available to the court says they are presently enjoying administrative bail and that they have always yielded to police invitation during the investigation,’’ he said.

    Lawan is charged with corruptly obtaining 500,000 dollars for himself from Mr. Femi Otedola, the Chairman, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, as inducement to remove the company’s name from the committee’s report, among other charges.

    Similarly, Emenalo is alleged to have “corruptly asked for 3,000,000 dollars from Mr. Otedola’’.

    Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the prosecution counsel said Farouk committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (1) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000, punishable under section 17 (1) of the same Act.

    He said that Emenalo also committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) (ii) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, punishable under section 23 (3) of the same Act, but the two pleaded not guilty.

    Mr. Rickey Tarfa, the counsel to the accused, on February 1, filed the bail application, urging the court to grant his clients bail on self-recognition.

    Tarfa said that the accused were eminent officials in the National Assembly and had met all the 37 invitations extended to them by the police during the investigation of the matter.