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Ricky Tarfa SAN
The obstruction of justice trial of Rickey Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was stalled at an
Ikeja High Court on Thursday following a shouting match between Mr G. K. Latona, an EFCC prosecutor and Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Tarfa’s defence counsel.
The insistence of Owonikoko had triggered a mild drama that the court must provide him the official records of proceedings of the case before he starts his defence of Tarfa.
The Thursday proceedings was initially scheduled for the opening of Tarfa’s defence following the March 5 dismissal of a no-case submission filed by the SAN’s defence team.
During the proceedings, Owonikoko (SAN), Tarfa’s lawyer, told the court that he needed the record of the court proceedings in the case before he could proceed with his defence.
He noted that he had made a formal application for the court documents but had not been obliged.
“Our point of reference is that we have a pending application for the record of proceedings.
“We made an appeal during the last hearing for the record of proceedings and we have not yet gotten it.
“We have been applying now for two years, we need it for our defence, the records we need is the record of the court and not of my colleagues.
“It is scandalous that we are doing a trial of this nature and we have no record of proceedings,” Owonikoko said.
Responding, Latona, told the court that he found Owonikoko’s request unusual.
“I find the observation of the learned silk strange, a record of proceedings was used copiously in their no case submission.”
Following Latona’s observation, a shouting match ensued between the EFCC Counsel and the SAN with both men threatening each other.
While adjourning the case because of the drama, Justice Aishat Opesanwo noted that Tarfa’s defence team were not obliged to open their case with an official record of the proceedings of the case.
“A court cannot be compelled by counsel to produce the records of proceedings before he can open his defence.
“This case is adjourned until June 22 for opening of defence,” Opesanwo said.
Earlier, Owonikoko had in an interlocutory application dated May 15, sought the leave of the court to appeal the court’s March 5 ruling dismissing Tarfa’s no-case submission.
NAN also reports that Tarfa is facing a three-count charge bordering on obstruction of justice and perverting the course of justice.
The EFCC alleged that Tarfa wilfully obstructed two of its officials, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, on Feb. 5, 2016 from making an arrest of his clients within the premises of the Igbosere High Court.
Tarfa’s clients, Gnanhoue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, were suspected by the EFFC of committing some financial crimes. (NAN)
