The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday
arraigned two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Rickey Tafar and Dr Joseph
Nwobike before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere for allegedly
offering gratification runing into millions of naira, to pervert
justice.
The two senior lawyers were docked before the court on two separate charges. While Tarfa was arraigned on a 27 count charge before Justice Adedayo Akintoye, Nwobike is facing a five count charge before Justice Raliat Adebiyi.
Specifically, the EFCC accused Tarfa of failure to decare his assets, refusal to declare his assets, making a false statement and offering of gratification to a public official, as well as alleged failure to declare his assets in the declaration of Assets Form administered on him by EFCC when he was arrested.
On his part Nwobike was alleged by the commission of attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to a public official.
Two of the counts read: “That you Dr. Joseph Nwobike [S.A.N] on the 19th day of March, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 750,000.00 to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account No.1002664061 in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
“That you Dr. Joseph Nwobike [S.A.N] on the 28th day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only) to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court in order that the Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties”.
The EFCC, Prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that Tarfa on February 10, 2016 allegedly refused to declare his assests and also made a false statement on February 5, 2016 to one Usman Zakari, a senior detective superintendent an officer of the EFCC in the course of the exercise of his duty, by claiming that he is 43 years old.
Oyedepo also alleged that Tarfa on June 27 2012, internationally gave the sum of N1.5 million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of a Federal High Court in Lagos, directly from his Zenth Bank Account No 1002926967, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
The lawyer further accused Tarfa of intentionally given the same Judge the sum of N500,000, on the same day, in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
Oyedepo stated that the defendant on August 6, 2013, intentionally gave the sum of N500,000 to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from his Zenith Bank Account in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
On January 29, 2014, the defendant was also alleged to have intentionally given the same Judge the sum of N1.5million from his account, the EFCC aslo stated that on October 3, 2014 gave the judge the sum of N835,000.
On December 22 2014, Tarfa intentionally gave the Judge the sum of N500,000, in order that the said Judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
The Anti-graft agency , alleged that on October 27 2015, intentionally gave the sum of N1.5million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court by directly depositing the said sum into Awa Ajia Nigeria Ltd’s account No 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to the Judge in order that he ascts in the exercise of his official duties.
On December 30, 2015 the defendant also gave the Judge the sum of N500,000 intentionally by directly depositing the said sum into the account of the Judge in order to refrain him from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
The defendant was also alleged to have given the sum of N200,000 to Justice mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, through Awa Ajia Nigeria Ltd’s account No 0000971931domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya on November 30,2015, in order that justice Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and they were granted bail by the two judges on self recognisance.
Justice Akintoye had adjourned Tarfa’s case till March 22 and 23, while Justice Adebiyi adjourned Nwobike’s case to April 11, 21, 22, for trial.
Culled from Leadership
The two senior lawyers were docked before the court on two separate charges. While Tarfa was arraigned on a 27 count charge before Justice Adedayo Akintoye, Nwobike is facing a five count charge before Justice Raliat Adebiyi.
Specifically, the EFCC accused Tarfa of failure to decare his assets, refusal to declare his assets, making a false statement and offering of gratification to a public official, as well as alleged failure to declare his assets in the declaration of Assets Form administered on him by EFCC when he was arrested.
On his part Nwobike was alleged by the commission of attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to a public official.
Two of the counts read: “That you Dr. Joseph Nwobike [S.A.N] on the 19th day of March, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 750,000.00 to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account No.1002664061 in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
“That you Dr. Joseph Nwobike [S.A.N] on the 28th day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only) to Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court in order that the Hon. Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties”.
The EFCC, Prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo told the court that Tarfa on February 10, 2016 allegedly refused to declare his assests and also made a false statement on February 5, 2016 to one Usman Zakari, a senior detective superintendent an officer of the EFCC in the course of the exercise of his duty, by claiming that he is 43 years old.
Oyedepo also alleged that Tarfa on June 27 2012, internationally gave the sum of N1.5 million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of a Federal High Court in Lagos, directly from his Zenth Bank Account No 1002926967, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
The lawyer further accused Tarfa of intentionally given the same Judge the sum of N500,000, on the same day, in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
Oyedepo stated that the defendant on August 6, 2013, intentionally gave the sum of N500,000 to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from his Zenith Bank Account in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.
On January 29, 2014, the defendant was also alleged to have intentionally given the same Judge the sum of N1.5million from his account, the EFCC aslo stated that on October 3, 2014 gave the judge the sum of N835,000.
On December 22 2014, Tarfa intentionally gave the Judge the sum of N500,000, in order that the said Judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
The Anti-graft agency , alleged that on October 27 2015, intentionally gave the sum of N1.5million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court by directly depositing the said sum into Awa Ajia Nigeria Ltd’s account No 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to the Judge in order that he ascts in the exercise of his official duties.
On December 30, 2015 the defendant also gave the Judge the sum of N500,000 intentionally by directly depositing the said sum into the account of the Judge in order to refrain him from acting in the exercise of his official duties.
The defendant was also alleged to have given the sum of N200,000 to Justice mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court in Lagos, through Awa Ajia Nigeria Ltd’s account No 0000971931domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya on November 30,2015, in order that justice Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and they were granted bail by the two judges on self recognisance.
Justice Akintoye had adjourned Tarfa’s case till March 22 and 23, while Justice Adebiyi adjourned Nwobike’s case to April 11, 21, 22, for trial.
Culled from Leadership
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