The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday arraigned two senior lawyers, Ricky Tarfa and Joseph Nwobike, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, for offences bordering on obstruction of justice and bribery.

Tarfa was arraigned before Justice A. A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere on a 27-count charge, including wilful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, giving false information and offering gratification to a public official.

One of the counts read: “That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on the 29^th day of January 2014 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court intentionally gave the sum of N1, 500,000.00 (One Million, Five Hundred 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.”

Another count read: “That you Rickey Tarfa SAN on or about the 15^th 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. 0000971941 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.”

When the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty, at which point prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, asked the court to remand him in prison and set a date for trial.

Tarfa’s lawyer, Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, however, told the court that he had filed an application for bail and urged to the court to grant his client bail on self-recognition.

The judge thus granted bail on self-recognition to him and adjourned the case to March 22 for trial.

In his on case, Nwobike was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on offering bribe to a judge and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was brought before Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi also of the Lagos State High Court.

In a statement to the EFCC, he admitted to giving N750, 000 to Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court but said the money was to assist in the treatment of the the judge’s mother, who was sick with kidney disease.

According to one of the counts, “You Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) on the 28^th day of March 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, intentionally gave the sum of N750,000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira Only) to Honourable Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Account No. 1002664061 in order that the said Judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 64 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State No. 11 of 2011.”

The senior lawyer pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, to ask for a trial date.

Counsel to Nwobike, A. I. Layonu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, asked for bail on self-recognition, which was not opposed by Oyedepo.

Consequently, the Justice Adebiyi admitted Nwobike to bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to April 11, 21 and 22, 2016, for commencement of trial.