Justice A. A. Akintoye of Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere has ruled that he would not entertain any application of stay of proceedings in the ongoing trial of Rickey Tarfa, SAN.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to Tarfa, Abiodun J. Owonikoko (SAN) had raised a motion for stay of proceedings.
The stay of proceedings is based on an earlier judgment over right of jurisdiction and dismissal of the charge against the defendant which the court over-ruled.
The defence wants the court to stay proceeding pending the hearing and determination of the appeal at the Court of Appeal.
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission [EFCC] arraigned Tarfa (SAN) on 9th March, 2016.
He was arraigned on a 27-count charge bordering on:
– alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC,
– refusal to declare assets,
– making false information and,
– offering gratification to a public official.
The case is adjourned till 27 May for continuation of trial and cross examination by defence.
Meanwhile, Temisan Omatseye, former DG, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, was convicted, May 20th, 2016, and sentenced to Five years imprisonment by a Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos.
He was prosecuted by the EFCC for money laundering, contract splitting and bid rigging at over N1.5bn while he was the DG of NIMASA.
He is to serve five years in jail, so says the Court.
In the meantime, the Launch of “CLEAN HANDS AGAINST CORRUPTION” programme is scheduled to hold on Thursday, May 26, 2016.
It will be held at the Eagle Square, Abuja by 9am.
Members of the Public, especially the Civil Society community are specially invited to the programme.
It will take off at the Wuse II Head Office of EFCC at 8:30am with a walk against corruption to Eagle Square.
Clean Hands is an anti-corruption awareness campaign initiative.
It is aimed at ensuring that children and youth abhor Corruption, economic and financial crimes in their totality and commit to live with clean hands.
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