TheCable

Rickey Tarfa and Joseph Nwobike, both senior advocates of Nigeria, have been accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of bribing judges with millions of naira to influence court decisions.

In a statement by Wilson Uwuajaren, the EFCC spokesperson, the anti-graft agency said Tarfa and Nwobike will be arraigned in a Lagos state high court.

Tarfa will be tried for a 27-count charge “wilful obstruction” of authorised officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information to an officer of EFCC and offering gratification to a public official.

Part of the charge, according to the EFCC statement, reads: “That you Rickey Tarfa (SAN) on the 29th day of January, 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 1,500,000.00 (One Million, Five Hundred housand Naira only) to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No.1002926967, in order that the said Judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.

“That you Rickey Tarfa [S.A.N] on the 3rd day of October, 2014 in Lagos  within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 835,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira only) to Hon. Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court directly from your Zenith Bank Account No.1002926967, in order that the said Judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.

“That you Rickey Tarfa [S.A.N] on or about the 15th day of December, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N500, 000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira only) to Hon. 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 in order that Hon. Mohammed Nasir Yunusa refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.”

Also, Nwobike will be facing a five count charge of attempting to influence court decisions and bribing public official.

Two of the counts, Uwuajaren says, are: “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 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Naira only) 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.”

In February, the EFCC had accused Tarfa of bribing Mohammed Yunusa, a judge, with N225,000.

But Tarfa had insisted that the N225,000 was a contribution to cover the cost of the burial of judge’s father in law.