Alleged perversion of course of justice: Ricky Tarfa makes no-case submission

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rickey Tarfa, standing trial over alleged gratification and attempt to pervert the course of justice has told a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere that he has no case to answer.

At the resume of proceedings of his trial yesterday before Justice Adedayo Akintoye, Tarfa, through his counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), told the court that he has filed a no-case submission.

Owonikoko said he filed on November 9, to say that the defendant has no case to answer.

The learned silk stated that the application is supported with an affidavit and a written address and that the prosecution has been duly served.

He said: “At the last adjourned date, the prosecution closed their case. Upon the view of the prosecution, our response in this case is a no-case submission. That will suffice in this case.”

Owonikoko, therefore, urged the court to discharge the defendant on the ground that there is no-case to answer.

“I urge your lordship to discharge the defendant on the view that there is no case to answer.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on October 23 closed its case against the defendant after calling six witnesses, who testified against Rickey Tarfa in a trial, which began in March, 2016.

EFCC prosecuting counsel Mr. Nnemeka Omewa confirmed the service of the no-case submission application on them by the defence.

He, however, said they were yet to file a reply.

“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 adjournment to enable us respond.”

Justice Adedayo Akintoye adjourned to December 12, for hearing of the application.

The EFCC had first arraigned Tarfa on March 9, 2016 on a 27-count charge, bordering on offering of gratification to some judges and perversion of the course of justice.

The anti-graft agency had alleged that Tarfa offered N5.3 million gratification to a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, to “compromise” the judge.

The agency claimed that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches to the judge between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014.

The commission alleged that the SAN lied about his age and failed to declare his assets to the commission upon his arrest on February 5, 2015.

The offences contravened Section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

But Tarfa pleaded not guilty.

He subsequently sought to quash the charges on the premise that they were incompetent.

Justice Akintoye dismissed his application consequent upon which Tarfa appealed the court’s decision.

But the upper court, in a ruling, ordered Tarfa back to the High Court for trial in respect of the charges preferred against him by the EFCC.

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