Age Falsification, Obstruction Of Justice: Rickey Tarfa Files No Case Submission
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for attempting to pervert the course of justice on Thursday, asked a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, to dismiss the charge against him.
Tarfa, in a no case submission filed through his lawyer, Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), is arguing that the EFCC had failed to link him with the charge.
The anti-graft agency is prosecuting the senior lawyer on a 26-count charge of obstruction of public officers, offering of gratification to a public officer and failure to declare assets.
The lawyer was alleged to have internationally given the sum of N1.5 million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on June 27, 2012, directly from his Zenith Bank Account No 1002926967, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
He was also accused of intentionally giving the same Judge the sum of N500,000, on the same day, in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on self recognizance.
The commission had, on October 23, 2017, closed after calling six witnesses who testified against Rickey Tarfa, which began in March, 2016.
Responding to Oyedepo, Owonikoko had sought an adjournment to enable the defence to analyse its case and decide on the step to take.
Consequently, Justice Adedayo Akintoye adjourned until November 16 to hear from the defence.
But at the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Owonikoko told the court that he has filed a no case submission.
He urged the Judge to discharge the defendant on the view that there is no case to answer.
The SAN stated that the application is supported with an affidavit and a written address which has been served the prosecution.
In his response, the EFCC prosecutor, Nnemeka Omewa, confirmed the service of the no case submission on them but noted that they are yet to file a reply.
Omewa said “We were served late last Friday with a 54 paragraphs of a no case submission, we are still going through them and we have not been able to respond to the no case submission, we shall be asking for a short date to enable us respond.”
Justice Akintoye therefore adjourned the case to December 12, 2017, for hearing of the application.
