Alleged bribery: Court approves Rickey Tarfa’s medical trip

An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Monday ratified the foreign
medical trip of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Rickey
Tarfa, accused of perversion of the course of justice.

Tarfa is standing trial on a 26-count charge bordering on
offering monetary gratification to two judges of the

Federal High Court – Justices Hyeladzira Nganjiwa and Mohammed
Yunusa.

He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) before Justice Adedayo Akintoye on March 9, 2016.

He pleaded not guilty.

At the resumption of trial on Monday, Tarfa was absent.

His counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko told Justice Akintoye that his
client had traveled abroad for medical treatment.

He said Tarfa’s condition “was so bad that he had to travel for
surgical operations.”

Tarfa will be away for three months, Owonikoko added.

EFCC counsel Mr Rotimi Oyedepo confirmed to the court that he
received a medical report and a letter from the defendant
requesting for vacation of Monday’s trial date.

Oyedepo, however, wondered why the defendant didn’t seek leave
of court before embarking on the trip.

Justice Akintoye advised the defence to ensure that the Tarfa is
in court on the next adjourned date.

She said: “I am giving the defendant the benefit of doubt based
on the application before the court, he should be in court on the
next adjourned date.”

The court adjourned till March 11 for continuation of trial.

In the charge before the court, the EFCC alleged that between
June 27, 2012 and January 8, 2016, Tarfa paid N5.3 million in
several tranches into Justice Nganjiwa’s account.

He was also accused of paying N800,000 into Justice Yunusa’s
account in three tranches between February 9 and November 30,
2015.

The SAN was also accused of age falsification.

Upon his arraignment on March 9, 2016 and subsequent
re-arraignment on November 16, 2016, Tarfa pleaded not guilty and
was granted bail on self-recognizance.

The EFCC has since closed its case, during which it noted that
Tarfa entered his defence after the court dismissed his no-case
submission he filed.

Tarfa’s first witness, Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR) of the
Federal High Court in Lagos, Mr Bello Okandeji, is yet to finish
his cross-examination.