A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has refused to stay proceedings in a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, S.A.N, Mr. Ricky Tarfa.
The EFCC had arraigned Mr Tarfa on the tenth of March for allegedly offering a five point three million naira bribe to Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in order to compromise the judge.
The commission alleged that the learned silk transferred the money in several tranches to the judge and that the offence was contrary to Section 64 subsection 1 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The charge also included allegations of willful obstruction of authorized EFCC officials, refusal to declare assets and making false information.
Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected Tarfa’s application filed through his counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko, S.A.N, seeking to restrain the court from hearing a twenty-seven-count charge against him.
At the commencement of proceedings (Friday), Mr Owonikoko told the court that the defendant had filed an application for stay of proceedings to allow the Court of Appeal to decide whether the lower court has jurisdiction to hear the matter and if the lawyer has a case to answer.
He urged the court to grant the application, adding that refusal of the application would cause great hardship to the defendant.
However, the Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application and to proceed with the commencement of trial which the court was scheduled to do as there are already witnesses in court to testify.
Justice Akintoye ruled that the court would not entertain any stay of proceedings in a criminal case till judgement was delivered and consequently asked the prosecution to open its case.
The case has been adjourned till Friday next week for continuation of trial.
The EFCC had arraigned Mr Tarfa on the tenth of March for allegedly offering a five point three million naira bribe to Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in order to compromise the judge.
The commission alleged that the learned silk transferred the money in several tranches to the judge and that the offence was contrary to Section 64 subsection 1 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The charge also included allegations of willful obstruction of authorized EFCC officials, refusal to declare assets and making false information.
Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected Tarfa’s application filed through his counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko, S.A.N, seeking to restrain the court from hearing a twenty-seven-count charge against him.
At the commencement of proceedings (Friday), Mr Owonikoko told the court that the defendant had filed an application for stay of proceedings to allow the Court of Appeal to decide whether the lower court has jurisdiction to hear the matter and if the lawyer has a case to answer.
He urged the court to grant the application, adding that refusal of the application would cause great hardship to the defendant.
However, the Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application and to proceed with the commencement of trial which the court was scheduled to do as there are already witnesses in court to testify.
Justice Akintoye ruled that the court would not entertain any stay of proceedings in a criminal case till judgement was delivered and consequently asked the prosecution to open its case.
The case has been adjourned till Friday next week for continuation of trial.
No comments:
Post a Comment