Court denies lawyer’s application to dismiss bribery charges

dimeji akinloye

April 22, 2016 10:01 PM

In the application, Tarfa challenged the jurisdiction of the court and sought an order to nullify the 27-count charge bordering on bribery against him.

The application to squash the 27-count charge of bribery against the Senior Advocate of Nigeria,

In the application, Tarfa challenged the jurisdiction of the court and sought an order to nullify the charges bordering on bribery.

But judge ruled that the court has jurisdiction to entertain the charges.

“This court has a jurisdiction to entertain the charges on this matter. The prayer of the applicant asking for an order on jurisdiction to entertain charges on this matter is hereby dismissed,” he held.

“The prayer of the applicant asking for an order to quash charges laid before the court is hereby dismissed.

"The prayer of the applicant asking the court to restrain EFCC operatives, staff, agents, or any person whatsoever to investigate and prosecute the defendant is hereby refused.

"The applicant’s motion on notice on 10th March, 2016 is hereby dismissed accordingly.”

According to The Cable, one hundred and thirty-six lawyers, including 40 senior advocates of Nigeria (SAN), appeared for Tarfa.

READ:'We have power to prosecute Rickey Tarfa,' EFCC tells court

Justice Akintoye however adjourned commencement of trial till May 20.

Tarfa was arraigned on March 9 by the EFCC on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorised officers of EFCC, refusal to declare asset, making false information and offering gratification to a public official.

In February, EFCC operatives arrested him for allegedly shielding two of his clients from justice, saying that it obtained information which showed that Tarfa paid the money into an Access Bank account belonging to the judge.

Tarfa has denied the allegation, though, telling a federal high court in Lagos that the controversial N225,000 was paid into the account of Muhammed Yunusa, his former employee, rather than that of Justice Mahmud Yunusa as alleged.

dimeji akinloye