EFCC vs RICKY TARFA: Right or Wrong!

Right from the days of President Olusegun Obasanjo I have always told those who cared to listen that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a Para-legal/Para military weapon in political hands. And not for once have they proved me wrong. Most of their operatives are not lawyers, their head is from the police force and they answer to the president in the job of fighting corruption - that is, investigating, arresting and prosecuting those corrupt in the eyes of the presidency. And they go about these duties with reckless abandon for the rule of law, legendary mediocrity in investigation and treasonable sabotage at prosecution. They make so much noise, so much arrests and so so less conviction. But very few cared to address this irrectitude until now that the anti-graft agency picked and locked up Ricky Tarfa SAN on Friday at about 5:00pm outside the premises of the Lagos High Court in Igbosere area of Lagos Island and is yet to be granted bail three days later. According to them his arrest was because of alleged obstruction of justice by the silk who prevented the operatives of the EFCC from arresting his clients, two Beninois nationals, who were being tried by the court for offenses bordering on forgery and conspiracy, Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson for the agency confirmed. It is gathered from another source that EFCC agents at the court premises in Lagos had laid an ambush for Granhoue Sourou Nazaire with the plan to arresting him for fraud, but Mr. Tarfa shielded and tried to get a judge to issue an order to bar the EFCCC from picking him up. Quickly, the Nigeria Bar Association has risen to condemn the arrest as disregard for rule of law and arrant reproach at the prestigious profession. In fact, a former President of the NBA, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, lamenting at the incident said “Well, you see, this is what we face with the current EFCC. Let’s get the facts straight, all of us who are defending accused persons are now endangered species, all of us are being investigated by the EFCC, so we are all waiting for the day they will come and carry us.” However, Mr. John Olusegun Odubela, reacting for the law firm, Rickey Tarfa &Co. in a statement signed by its Partners and Head of Chambers, said : “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 the control of a manufacturing company they jointly promoted.It is purely a matrimonial issue that went sour.” Well, truth be told. It does not matter whether Ricky was defending an accused person or divorce client. What counts is whether his client had been invited by the EFCC and he refused to oblige thereby necessitating the need to be arrested and Ricky was in the know and tried to prevent his arrest unlawfully. If this is true then he should not just be arrested by prosecuted for obstruction of justice, aiding and abetting crime plus all possible charges. After all, a senior advocate should not just know the law but also lead in its observance. Though the stories surrounding his arrest are disturbing and contradicting my concern is for the sanctity of my profession. I've never spared law enforcement officers when the cross my path but never do I encroach into their path. And these senior lawyers must learn there are Senior in the profession not to the profession. Their seniority is not over the law. Meanwhile, I also wish the NBA will also fight for young lawyers the way they declare war for senior lawyers. Come to think of it, is this not the same Ricky Tarfa SAN that use to win cases for ACN? Now that he seems to share some sympathy for PDP in some cases he is suddenly very touchable. Hehehehe! Anyway I will be senior lawyer someday. Okpo Ewa Esq.