Senior Lawyer Ricky Tarfa Fails Bid To Stall Trial in Bribe a Judge Case

Emerging details have it

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

Justice A. A. Akintoye rejected Tarfa’s application 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 on an allegation that he offered N5.3m gratification to a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, in order to compromise the judge. Ricky Tarfa The anti-graft agency 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.

On April 22, the court dismissed Tarfa’s preliminary objection, filed through his counsel, Mr Anthony Idigbe (SAN), urging it to quash the charge and decline jurisdiction.

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

He argued that the appellate court “is now seized of the charge before the court,” and that refusal of Tarfa’s application will cause a greater hardship to the defendant.

Granting the application, he added, will protect the defendant “and it should be granted in the interest of justice.”

“The appeal against the ruling of the High Court delivered on April 22, 2016, has entered the records of the Court of Appeal with Appeal No: CA/L/497/16 and the defendant has filed his brief of argument,” Owonikoko stated.

His position was challenged by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, who urged the court to dismiss the defendant’s application.

“We have two witnesses in court and we are ready to proceed in the matter,” Oyedepo added.

Justice Akintoye held that the defence counsel’s prayer was without merit and ruled in favour of the prosecution.

“This court will not entertain any stay or defer the proceedings in this criminal matter until judgment is delivered. As a result, this matter will continue today,” the court ruled.

Thereafter, the prosecution called Mr. Oliver Enwerem, an Access Bank Ltd Compliance Officer, as its first witness.

Enwerem testified that his bank received a letter from the EFCC requesting for the statements of account of Tarfa and Awa Ajah Enterprises Ltd.

He added that a signatory to the company’s account was one H. A. Nganjiwa, and listed the following transactions as having occurred in that account:

A cash deposit of N1.5 million by Rickey Tafar on October 27, 2015; transfers of N980,000, N200,000 and N35,000 on November 30, 2015; cash deposit of N500,000 by Rickey Tafar on December, 30 2015; cash deposits of N500,000 and N200,000 by Rickey Tafar on January 8, 2016; and on December 15, 2015, a cash deposit of N500,000 and a transfer of N500,000 by Rickey Tarfa.

Justice Akintoye adjourned the matter till May 27 for continuation of trial and cross examination by the defence.

Thenation