A law firm, Rickey Tafa and company has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of falsying facts about the arrest of its principal partner, Rickey Tarfa (SAN).
Tarfa was arrested last Friday, along with his clients, Beninoise nationals, Ghanhouse Sourous Nazaire and Zenou Modeste inside a Lagos High Court room while on duty.
The law firm said its principal did not obstruct the course of justice as alleged by the anti-graft agency.
Head of Chambers, Mr. John Olusegun Odubela, in a press statement disclosed that the intervention of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) chairman, Augustine Alegeh, in company with more than 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria that Friday “to discuss or process the bail” of Tarfa failed despite assurances given by the EFCC.” He said the assurance from EFCC turned out to be a dummy.
Odubela alleged that “the NBA president was kept waiting in the office of the EFCC from about 2.00 pm till 8.00pm. on Saturday, February 6, when they left the EFCC premises, diappointed and humiliated.”
The statement entitled: “Rickey Tarfa SAN: EFCC lied. He hid not obstruct the course of justice” reads: “Our Principal Partner and Head of Practice was, at no point, in any position to obstruct the course of justice among EFCC operatives.”
The law firm said the matter before the court had no bearing with corruption related issue.
“It is purely between a husband and wife struggling for control of a manufacturing company they jointly promoted. It is purely a matrimonial issue that went sour.”
While condemning what it described as EFCC’s gestapo-like tactics, Odubela added: “Our clients had been enjoying court bail and EFCC bail, hence the issue of jumping bail was out of the question.”
The firm lamented that the anti graft agency had been harrassing its clients while in the court room and whisked them away. “At the same time, Rickey Tarfa was arrested along with them and forced to drive in their convoy to the EFCC under armed escort.”
“This is not how to fight corruption. The Federal Government needs to be pitied because the crusade against the scourge of corruption is gradually being derailed by fifth columnists bent on setting the legal profession on a needless course with the government in its legitimate and publicly acclaimed drive to address the scourge of corruption bedevilling our country at present.”
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