Admin l Friday, May 31, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria -Health condition of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey Tarfa again stalled his trial in the 26-count charge of offering gratification to two judges of the Federal High Court – Justices Hyeladzira Nganjiwa and Mohammed Yunusa – filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).
Even when His Lordship, Justice Adedayo Akintoye relocated from his office, on the first floor to the ground floor just for the case, the SAN, who had on previous occasion being unable to attend for reason that he is not able to ascend the staircase again failed to show up on the ground floor.
His lawyer, Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN told the court that Tarfa was in the car outside with his physiotherapist. Owonikoko told the court that he had filed an application seeking more time for Rickey Tarfa to recuperate from his surgical wounds.
The case stalled since January 21, when Rickey Tarfa travelled abroad for medical emergency and since he came back he has failed to make himself available for the hearing on March 11, 19 and May 8. Each time the matter came up, his lawyer told the court that the SAN was in his car downstairs unable to climb up due even on a wheelchair, because of the severity of his condition.
On March 19, Owonikoko filed a medical recommendation from Tarfa’s doctors which stated that the defendant required a minimum of three months medical leave to enable him recuperate.
During the hearing today, Owonikoko told the court that he had filed an application seeking more time for Tarfa to recuperate.
But counsel, to EFCC Mr Usman Buhari opposed him. The judge ordered for a medical report on Rickey Tarfa’s health from the Lagos State Teaching Hospital before Tarfa’s application will be entertained. She adjourned further proceedings till June 21.
Tarfa was arraigned by the EFCC on March 9, 2016 and subsequently re-arraigned on November 16, 2016 on an amended charge.The EFCC claimed that between June 27, 2012 and January 8, 2016, Tarfa paid a total of N5.3 million in several tranches into Justice Nganjiwa’s bank account.
He was also accused of paying into Justice Yunusa’s account, N800,000 in three tranches between February 9 and November 30, 2015. EFCC told the court that the payments were intended to compromise the judges. The SAN was equally accused of age falsification. Tarfa pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on self-recognizance.
