Admin l Wednesday, January 17, 2018
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today arraigned Justice Yinusa Mohammed Nosiru of the Federal High Court and Esther Agbo before a Special Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
They were arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo. Yinusa was arraigned on four count of attempting to pervert course of justice by engaging in private conversation with Ricky Tarfa and others; for receiving graft in the sum of N1,500,000 paid into his UBA account by Esther Agbo from Ricky Tarfa and for receiving financial gratification from Joseph Nwobike, SAN in a case handled by the said SAN and receipt of N750,000 from Joseph Nwaobike into his UBA account to award decision in favour of Nwobike, SAN.
On her part, Esther Agbo, a clerk in the office of Rickey Tarfa was arraigned on one count charge, of offering graft to the judge to influence decision in favour of his principla, Rickey Tarfa. Both Yinusa Mohammed Nosiru and Esther Agbo pleaded not guilty to the charges
After the arraignment, counsel to EFCC, Mr Ozioko prayed the court to remanded the defendants in prison pending when trial will commence since the office committed were grievous.
But counsel to the first defendant prayed the court to grant the first defendant bail on self recognance being a service judge in Nigeria and an order for EFCC to deposit travel documents of the first defendant in custody of the Registrar of the Court, while counsel to the second defendant, John Segun Odubela, SAN prayed the court to grant her bail on the ground that the defendant is a nursing mother that has just given birth through caesarian section.
Count 1 of the charge claims that Justice Nasir between February and September of 2015, attempted to “pervert the course of justice by engaging in constant private and confidential telephone conversations” with Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), who was at the time defending cases before him.
The cases in question include; Suit No. FHC/L/CS/714/2015 between Mr. Adewale Adeniyi v EFCC & 2 others; Suit No FHC/L/CS/715?2015 between Rena Prestige Industries Ltd & Anor. V EFCC & two others and suit No. FHC/L/CS/716/2015 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria Ltd & 3 other V EFCC & 2 others.
EFCC also alleged that the embattled judge agreed to receive the sum of N1, 500, 000 paid into his United Bank of Africa Plc account number 1005055617 by Esther Agbo, in other to give a decision in favor of the chambers of Rickey Tarfa & Co, in cases handled by the said chambers before him as a judge of Federal High Court in Ikoyi.
The commission in the third count accused Justice Nasir of agreeing to receive financial benefit from Joseph Nwobike (SAN) in other to favor the SAN in some cases he defended before the charged justice. It added that a sum of N750, 000 was paid into same UBA account by Mr. Nwobike.
Count 5 says; “Esther Agbo on or about the 14th May, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court and in the course of your employment in Rickey Tara & Co, gave as gratification the sum of N1, 500, 00 to Hon. Justice Yunusa Mohammed Nasir, a judge of the Federal High Court in order to induce him to hive decisions favorable to the chambers of Rickey Tarfa & Co in (i) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/714/2015 between Mr. Adewale Adeniyi v EFCC & 2 others, (ii) Suit No FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rena Prestige Industries Ltd & Anor. V EFCC & two others, (iii) suit No. FHC/L/CS/716/2015 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria Ltd & 3 other V EFCC & 2 others being cases handled by the said chambers before Hon. Justice Yunusa Mohammed Nasir”.
It is important to note that the principal of Rickey Tarfa & Co Chambers, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, (SAN) was arraigned in 2016 on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information and offering gratification to a public official.
