- A Lagos High Court has dismissed a no case submission filed by a senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa
- The court said the senior lawyer has a case to answer on the charge of obstruction of justice filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
- The court also ordered Tarfa to open his defence while stating that the EFCC has established a prima facie case against him
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has dismissed a no case submission filed by senior lawyer advocate of Nigeria, Rickey Tarfa.
The court on Monday, March 5, said it was satisfied that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established a strong case against the lawyer.
Tarfa is facing a three-count charges of obstruction of justice.
The senior lawyer through his counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), had informed the court that his client had filed a motion for it to consider arguments on his no case submission.
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Owonikoko said their written address also formed a singular issue whether a prima facie case was established at the end of the prosecution by the EFCC.
The counsel said the essential ingredients necessary to secure a criminal conviction on the case against hos client have been unproven by the anti-graft agency.
However, the judge over matter Justice Aishat Opesanwo further urged the defendant to proceed with his defence.
Opesanwo also declined an application by Tarfa to award him N150 million as exemplary damages for ‘malicious prosecution’ from the EFCC.
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The judge said: “I have taken consideration of Section 38(2) of the EFCC Act and Section 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011, the oral and documentary evidence given by the prosecution.
“I am satisfied that the prosecution has established a prima-facie case against the defendant.
“I invite the defendant to proceed with his defence of the three-count charge contained in the information herein,” Opesanwo said.
The judge further adjourned the matter to May 24 and 25 for Tarfa to open his defence.
The EFCC had accused the senior lawyer of preventing its operatives - Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed - from arresting his clients within the premises of the Igbosere High Court in Lagos.
According to the EFCC, Tarfa’s clients, Gnanhoue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, were suspected to have committed some financial crimes.
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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the EFCC arraigned a suspended judge of the Federal High Court, Yunusa Mohammed.
Justice Yunusa was arraigned alongside Esther Agbo, a staff who works in the law firm of Rickey Tarfa & Co.
The EFCC alleged that Yunusa collected N1.5 million from Tarfa for the purpose of giving judgments favourable to the SAN’s law firm.
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Source: Naija.ng