Court fixes Dec 12 to hear Rickey Tarfa’s no case submission

Hearing, in an application of a no case submission filed by a Senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa SAN, has been fixed by a Lagos High Court, Igbosere.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye, on Thursday fixed December 12, 2017 for hearing of the application after listening to both parties in the suit.

Tarfa, is standing trial over alleged gratification, an attempt to pervert the course of justice and age falsification brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The anti graft agency had on October 23 closed its case after calling six witnesses who testified against Rickey Tarfa SAN.

At the last adjourned date, Tarfa’s counsel, Mr. Abiodun Jelili Owonikoko (SAN), had sought an adjournment to enable the defence analyse its case and decide on what step to take.

Consequently, Justice Akintoye adjourned until yesterday to hear from the defence.
But when the matter came up yesterday, counsel to Tarfa, Mr. Owonikoko SAN , told the court that he has filed a no case submission.

His words: ” At the last adjourned date the prosecution closed its case, upon the view of the prosecution,our response in this case is a no case submission that will suffice this case. ”
He urged the Judge to discharge ‎the defendant on the view that he has is no case to answer.

“I urge your lordship to discharge the defendant on the basis that there is no case to answer”
He stated that the application is supported with an affidavit and a written address served the prosecution.
However, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr Nnemeka Omewa, confirmed the service of a no case submission on them but 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, thereafter adjourned till 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 alleged, for instance, that Tarfa offered N5.3 million gratification to a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, to `compromise’ the judge.

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

The commission further 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.

Peter Fowoyo