Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, January 17, 2017
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today told an Ikeja High Court that Mr. Rickey Tarfa, SAN communicated with Justice Yinusa of a Federal High Court Lagos in a case that he has an interest.
Mr. Usman Zakari, an EFCC operative who was testifying before Justice Opesanwo of a Lagos High Court said the Senior Advocate of Nigeria may have influenced judgement in favour of his client.
According to Zakari, “prior to the defendant’s arrest, EFCC through an intelligence had established that he had been in constant communication with Justice Yinusa during the determination of two cases in which judgement were given in favour of his clients in a fundamental human rights case.
Tarfa is standing trial for alleged obstruction of justice when on 5th February, 2016 he obstructed arrest of two suspects, Nazaire Odeste and Gnanhoue of Rane Prestige Nig. Ltd and Hair Prestige Nig. Ltd by the EFCC in the premises of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere.
Prosecution however failed to tender documents said to be crucial to the prosecution Rickey Tarfa in court.
The prosecutor, Mr..G. A Latoni told presiding judge, Opesanwo that the said documents were before another court handling a sister case in respect of the defendant. It is the second time that the matter has been adjoured for failure of the EFCC to produce relevant document.
The witness said that at the end of his investigation as an investigator, he found out that Tarfa obstructed an EFCC operative, Mr. Moses Awolusi (a complainant) who was trying to arrest his clients in the court premises.
According to him, he said he received a petition against Mr.Tarfa from Awolusi that the defendant prevented him from arresting two suspects in his Mercedes-Benz car.
He said his findings showed that the defendants clients were in and out of his car until Awolusi called for re-enforcement.
He added that the lawyer was however arrested with his clients, his car and two phones.
He also said his agency wrote a letter to MTN requesting for call logs between the defendant and one Honourable Justice Yinusa which MTN granted and was analysed.
When an expectant court audience where hoping that the prosecutor will tender the documents, that is, the defendant’s statement made to EFCC as well as his alleged communication with the judge, Mr. Latoni told the judge thus: “My Lord, the statement was tendered at a Lagos High court at Igbosere in another proceeding and we have written to request for the Certified True Copy. I hereby move an application for an adjournment, though I have the photo copies here and other witnesses in court.”
Swiftly, the defence counsel, Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde opposed the application by saying, ” this is a self-inflicted wound arising from forum shopping . It was tendered in another case over six months ago, this is the style, we are opposing the application for an adjournment, if my learned counsel have photo copies, he can tender it. ”
Justice Opesanwo was of the view that the court can not subvert prosecutor’s evidence if its evidence was not ready. She added that parading other witnesses without the said documents and as such urged the prosecution to save her time and that of the public.
She urged the prosecution to tidy up its prosecution stating that “we give the prosecution all the latitude under the sun to establish the weighty allegations. Further hearing has been adjourned till 26th January, 2016.
