By Gbenga Soyele
Embattled Lagos lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) yesterday denied
bribing Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court with
N5.3million between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014 in order to
compromise the judge.
Tarfa, who denied the allegations in a press statement issued by his Head of Chamber, John Odubela also accused the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) of making false and malicious claims against him.
The lawyer described the recent 27 count charge allegedly filed against him as ridiculous and laughable.
The EFCC had on March 4, 2016 filed a fresh 27 count charge against Tarfa before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, accusing him of transferring N5,335,000 to Justice Nganjiwa, in order to compromise the judge.
The commission also accused Tarfa of refusing to declare his assets to the anti-graft agency on February 10, contrary to the provisions of Section 27(3)(c) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
The EFCC further alleged that the senior advocate of Nigeria also gave false information by stating that his age was 43 when he was indeed 54, an act the EFCC claimed to be an offence under section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
However in his reaction to the new charge, Tarfa maintained that the EFCC is persecuting him because the commission is yet to serve him with a copy of the 27 count charge allegedly filed against him as required by law.
Explaining the relationship with Nganjiwa Hyeladzira, the statement said, “he (Nganjiwa was absorbed into the firm in the year 1995 immediately after leaving the service of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) where he rose to the position of Deputy Director (Prosecution) and was with us until he was appointed to the bench of the Federal High Court in 2012.”
The lawyer also stated that Nganjiwa who specialised in criminal trials attracted many briefs/clients because of his expertise in that branch of the law and upon his appointment as a judge, the law firm continued with the cases he brought to the chambers.
‘’In the light of the above, we have continued to discharge the firm’s financial obligations. to him in respect of cases he has handled for the firm as a practicing legal practitioner in our law firm and those he brought to the chambers’’.
Leadership
Embattled Lagos lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) yesterday denied
bribing Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court with
N5.3million between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014 in order to
compromise the judge.Tarfa, who denied the allegations in a press statement issued by his Head of Chamber, John Odubela also accused the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) of making false and malicious claims against him.
The lawyer described the recent 27 count charge allegedly filed against him as ridiculous and laughable.
The EFCC had on March 4, 2016 filed a fresh 27 count charge against Tarfa before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, accusing him of transferring N5,335,000 to Justice Nganjiwa, in order to compromise the judge.
The commission also accused Tarfa of refusing to declare his assets to the anti-graft agency on February 10, contrary to the provisions of Section 27(3)(c) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
The EFCC further alleged that the senior advocate of Nigeria also gave false information by stating that his age was 43 when he was indeed 54, an act the EFCC claimed to be an offence under section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004.
However in his reaction to the new charge, Tarfa maintained that the EFCC is persecuting him because the commission is yet to serve him with a copy of the 27 count charge allegedly filed against him as required by law.
Explaining the relationship with Nganjiwa Hyeladzira, the statement said, “he (Nganjiwa was absorbed into the firm in the year 1995 immediately after leaving the service of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) where he rose to the position of Deputy Director (Prosecution) and was with us until he was appointed to the bench of the Federal High Court in 2012.”
The lawyer also stated that Nganjiwa who specialised in criminal trials attracted many briefs/clients because of his expertise in that branch of the law and upon his appointment as a judge, the law firm continued with the cases he brought to the chambers.
‘’In the light of the above, we have continued to discharge the firm’s financial obligations. to him in respect of cases he has handled for the firm as a practicing legal practitioner in our law firm and those he brought to the chambers’’.
Leadership
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