Encomium
The Principal Partner and Head of Practice, Rickey Tarfa & Co., Rickey Tarfa (SAN) has finally been released by EFCC operatives after spending two days in their custody.
His release was made possible through the intervention of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA president, Augustine Alegeh (SAN) and many other Senior Advocates of Nigeria on, Sunday, February 7, 2016.
Prior to his release, his law firm, Rickey Tarfa & Co released a press statement to the effect that its principal partner did not in anyway obstruct the course of justice.
The press statement entitled Rickey Tarfa, SAN: EFCC LIED. HE DID NOT OBSTRUCT THE COURCE OF JUSTICE, was signed by John Olusegun Odubela, Partner and Head of Chamber of the law firm.
Odubela said, “It’s Principal Partner and Head of Practice was at no point in any position to obstruct the course of justice among the EFCC operatives”.
It is germane to state that the matter before the court has 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”.
Odubela further stated that contrary to blatant lies ditched out by the EFCC, Rickey Tarfa (SAN) was at the Lagos High Court in continuation of his professional duty to defend his clients, Ghanhone Sourous Nazare and Zenon Modeste”.
Odubela went further, “It is pertinent that, up till the time of the Gestapo like tactics deployed by the EFCC, on Friday, our clients had been enjoying court bail and EFCC bail, hence the issue of jumping bail was out of the question. It thus borders on extreme mischief to insinuate that issue of jumping bail or resisting lawful arrest was at the heart of shame enacted by EFCC operatives at Lagos High Court premises on Friday, February 5, 2016”.
While decrying his partner’s arrest, Odubela noted, “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 the fifth columnists bent on setting the legal profession on needless course with the government in its legitimate and publicly acclaimed drive to address the scourge of corruption bedeviling our country at present.
“We decry this act of arresting a legal practitioner in the course of his professional duties in the premises of the high court and urge the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), human rights group and all Nigerians to join in condemning this resort to Gestapo like breach of a counsel’s professional privilege and rights to protection in court premises while discharging their duty as counsel”.
-TOLANI ABATTI
