The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Wednesday arraigned two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) for allegedly offering bribe and gratification to pervert the course of justice.

The two senior lawyers, Mr Rickey Tarfa and Dr. Joseph Nwobike were arraigned separately at a Lagos High Court in Igbosere.

Tarfa was arraigned before Justice A. A. Akintoye on a 27-count charge bordering on failure to declare his assets, offering of gratification to public official, among others while Nwobike was arraigned before Justice Raliat Adebiyi on a five-count charge of allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to public official.

According to the charge sheet, Nwobike was accused of intentionally and directly giving N750,000 to Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court through his UBA account number 1002664061 to influence the said judge in the exercise of his official duties.

The defendant was also accused of giving N300,000 indirectly to Justice Yunusa through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited account no. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court to influence Justice Yunusa in the exercise of his official duties.

Tarfa, on his part, was alleged to have on February 10, 2016 failed to declare his assets in the declaration form that was issued him by the agency when he was arrested.

EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo also accused Tarfa of having made false statement on February 5, 2016 to one Usman Zakari, a senior detective superintendent with the EFCC in the course of his duty by claiming that he was 43 years old.

The anti-graft commission also alleged that the senior lawyer on June 27, 2012 intentionally gave the sum of N1.5 million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of a Federal High Court, directly through his Zenith Bank account.

He was further alleged to have intentionally given the same judge the sum of N500,000 on the same day in order that the judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.

The prosecutor also alleged that on January 29, 2014, the defendant intentionally gave Justice Ajiya the sum of N1.5 million from his account, while on October, 3, 2014, he also gave her the sum of N835,000.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail on self recognition.

Tarfa’s case was adjourned till March 22 and 23 while Nwobike’s case was adjourned till April 11, 21 and 22 for trial.

http://www.nairapress.com/2016/03/09/2-senior-lawyers-arraigns-efcc-alleged-bribery/

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