By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Senior Correspondent
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday filed a counter-affidavit opposing a no-case submission applied by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Rickey Tarfa, charged with bribery and attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Mr Jelili Owonikoko, counsel to Tarfa, had filed application for a no case submission before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, over alleged bribery charges against Tarfa by the EFCC, consequent upon his review of the prosecution’s case and concluded that there was no case to answer by Tarfa.
Owonikoko made the application after counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court on October 23 that prosecution had closed its case as it had no more witnesses to call in the case.
It would be recalled that the EFCC had called six witnesses, who testified against Tarfa in the trial that began in March 2016.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, EFCC, in its counter-affidavit deposed to by an operative, Zakari Usman, stated that the prosecution made out a prima facie case against Tarfa based on testimonies of the witnesses and the various exhibits tendered.
“The evidence of the prosecution witnesses is strong and un-discredited. This Honourable court can rely on it to safely convict the applicant.
“The applicant has a case to answer in view of the overwhelming evidence adduced by the prosecution in the course of the applicant’s trial,” Usman deposed.
The commission had therefore urged the court to dismiss the application for no case submission filed by Tarfa, adding that the charge was not an abuse of any prosecutorial power.
The presiding judge, Justice Akintoye, however, adjourned the case until January 17, 2018 for further hearing.
TheNiche reports that EFCC had first arraigned Tarfa on March 9, 2016 on a 27-count charge bordering on offering of gratification to some judges and perversion of the course of justice.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Tarfa offered N5.3 million gratification to a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa, to ‘compromise’ the judge.
The agency further averred that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches to the judge between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014.
Besides, it was further alleged that the learned Silk lied about his age and failed to declare his assets to the commission upon his arrest on February 5, 2015.
According to the charge, the offences allegedly committed contravened Section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
However,Tarfa pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
He, subsequently, sought to quash the charge on the grounds that they were incompetent, but Justice Akintoye dismissed his application which has made Tarfa to go on appeal.
