Embattled lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, explains payment of N225,000 to judge

Rickey Tarfa
Rickey Tarfa

A senior lawyer, accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of bribing a judge, on Friday denied the allegation, insisting that the N225,000 he paid to Justice Mohammed ‎Yunusa was to cover part of the funeral of the judge’s father-in-law.

Rickey Tarfa stated, in an affidavit he filed before a Federal ‎High Court in Lagos, that the money was a contribution by some friends of Mr. Yunusa towards the funeral rites of his father-in-law, Audi Damasa.

“The applicant (Mr. Tarfa) did not on 7th January, 2014 bribe Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa with the sum of N225,000 or any other sum at all,” the lawyer stated in the affidavit deposed to by John Odubela, the head of his chambers.

“It was common knowledge in the legal circles that Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa lost his father-in-law, Alhaji Audi Garba Damasa on the 28th December, 2013 in Maiduguri and travelled there to attend to the funeral rites.

“The applicant and some friends of Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa made some donations towards the said funeral rites and to commiserate with the judge since they could not physically go and commiserate with him in Maiduguri, where he was and stayed for a while.

“The contributed monies amounted to N225,000, which sum was given to the applicant with the responsibility to get same across to the bereaved judge.

“The applicant consequently made arrangements to forward the sum N225,000.

“I know as a fact that it is common in Nigeria for friends and well-wishers to contribute gifts in cash and kind to people who are celebrating or bereaved.”

The EFCC had alleged that‎ Mr. Tarfa made phone contacts with Mr. Yunusa in a case before the judge.

The commission provided phone numbers of Mr. Tarfa, the judge, and bank documents detailing money transfer from the lawyer to Justice Yunusa.

”Based on intelligence report available to the Commission that the Applicant in a desperate bid to pervert the cause of justice in earlier proceedings involving the suspects on the subject matter was using his GSM ….. to communicate with Honourable Justice M. N. Yunusa in a case before His Lordship, the 1st Respondent requested the Applicant upon his arrest to respond to the allegation and surrender his mobile Apple I-Phone 6, colour black with MTN No. …..,” the EFCC stated in a counter affidavit deposed to by Moses Awolusi, an EFCC investigator.

‎‎”That based on investigations and data analysis of the Applicant’s mobile phones startling revelations about secret, unhealthy communications between the Applicant and judicial officers emerged.‎”

The Commission had arraigned Mr. Tarfa before a Lagos High Court, last Tuesday, for allegedly obstructing two of its officers from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, the owners of Rana Prestige Industries.

In response, Mr. Tarfa filed a N2.5 billion fundamental rights action enforcement suit against the EFCC protesting his arrest and detention by the Commission.

In addition to seeking N2.5 billion as damages, Mr. Tarfa is also seeking a public apology from the EFCC for his alleged arrest and detention.

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  • MI

    How is bribe given?
    At a time you have an ongoing case in the court of a particular judge, you a SAN chose to give him monetary gift and now claim its on behalf of friends. Is their no one else who would have done that other than you? Mr SAN, doyou know the implication of your action? You don’t have to learn this in law school, it is simply a common sense. IF your true intention weren’t a bribe, you should be punished for stupidity, because, you are not only a lawyer but a Senior Advocate. Your defence is weak.

  • Gidi

    NBA needs to come up with new Ethics rules that will prevent its members from making this kind of contribution to any judge on the bench. Written all over this story is a conflict of interest, writ at large.

    • Ashibogu

      Chua Chua! Pure and simple! The Judge should be dismissed while the Rickety SAN should be banned from Legal Practice for Seven Years, Seven Months and Seven Days.

    • Prophet

      That rule already exists as a law.

  • agbobu

    AND YOU APPEARED BEFORE HIM IN A CASE. WHAT OF MUCH KNOWN CONFLICT OF INTEREST? SHAME ON YOU!!!

  • Paul Young

    The Judge lost his father in law 28th December, 2013 while the money was paid 7th January 2014. Since when did islamic burial rites change? Because the last time i checked muslims bury their dead within 24 hours. Plus muslims ulnlike christians dont usuallly have an extravagant funeral. Even Abacha, recently abubakar audu of kogi. This story wont hold any water at all. And even if he insists its true then its very very easy to disprove it. He should list all the lawyers that contributed to that kitty and then one by one all the SAN’s will take the stand and answer to the simple question DID YOU CONTRIBUTE MONEY FOR JUSTICE YUNUSA’S FATHER IN-LAW’S BURIAL AND SEND SAME TO HIM THROUGH MR RICKEY TARFA,SAN? Lets see if they will agree to perjury themselves for their colleague

    • Burning Spear

      Is this how u think—–why dont u put on your thinking cap once in a while–for Efcc?—He sent the money a week after the death of the father inlaw of the Judge—–And u are here fooling yourself with silly questions–He is free to visit the man months after the burial——That is the African tradition————-I knew something was wrong with the issues raised by this fake efcc man–For no sane Judge will accept 244,000 as bribe—-never—Are Nigerians Judges that cheap?

      • Prophet

        BE QUIET!!! Tarfa is not allowed by law to make any type of donation to a judge PERIOD.
        Talk less of one that handles his cases……….

        • SayNo2Tribalism

          Yes in the eyes of the law, Tarfa just accepted bribing a judge.

          • Peter_Edo

            exactly…

      • SBA

        Mad fellow always twisting facts and issues

      • shina

        There is a reason why judges don’t socialise .it’s against the ethics of their job. conflict of interest is established here..if an unknown lawyer and Ricky had case in his court, who do you think he will favor ?

      • Peter_Edo

        useless dullard. do you know that there is such a thing called conflict of interest?

    • Peter_Edo

      fast guy!!!

  • JayM

    Having being found out, this man is simply looking for how to exonerate himself but he should realize that Nigerians are not so gullible anymore

  • bjay

    It’s a pity for Ricky noway he can twist this bribe allegation, most of judges and sans have been corrupt long ago.

  • bib

    It’s not back leg, it’s hind leg. SAN Tarfa na wa for you o!

  • javscong javscong

    These people must really have a very dim view of Nigerians. What contributions? Of course he has enough people within his rank to be willing to tell lies just to get him out of the hole he dug for himself. Mr Tarfa, we the people can not be fooled. The sad truth is that you and the likes of Joseph Doudu have corrupted the bench so badly that you will in all probability be “cleared” in spite of the preponderance of evidence stacked against you. Nigerians are angry and very soon may decide to vent their anger without any recourse to the law……it is called a REVOLUTION!!!! When that happens,all of you so called elite will be consumed by the raging inferno.

    • Fredodo1

      pity i can’t upvote you 10X

  • Nkem

    See this Atiku lawyer telling cock and bull story like his master. Atiku was asked in an interview why he has not travelled to the US since he was indicted in that country for money laundering. Atiku said it was because he didn’t realise that his visa had expired until he got to the airport. Imagine! Now his lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has turned Esusu collector for a serving judge of the high court. Let’s even assume that Ricky Tarfa did not have any case before the judge in question. Would this cock and bull story even begin to make sense to any lawyer worth his name and title?
    Let’s wait to see what NJC does with Justice Junusa’s case before the council. Then we would see whether this judge would have the guts to set Ricky Rarfa free. In which case we will have to petition NJC again regarding the judge handling this case.

    • newsvendor

      Breaking News: EFCC blows open ₦ 3.2billion fraud at NAMA

      “The Federal Government has frozen the
      personal accounts of top managers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency
      (NAMA) after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found N3.2
      billion in their accounts, with choice properties and several of their
      investments in Lagos.

      The EFCC found N700 million in the personal
      accounts of the Acting General Manager, ICT, Akinrinbido Bolaniran, popularly
      known as Bido, while the General Manager, Procurement, Olumuyiwa Adegorite had
      N800 million in his own account. The largest find was traced to the General
      Manager (Finance), Segun Nurudeen Agbolade, commonly known as General, with
      over N1 billion; three petrol stations, named Ajoke Resources in Agege area of
      Lagos and another shopping mall in Ikeja, Lagos.”

    • Ogbeni Leke Olowe

      Ricky tarfa kirikiri is your next abode.

  • othrutho

    @disqus_q5y4f5frpF:disqus

    There’s really no limit to the possible excuses
    which might be tendered to make this cash payment to a Judge on a live
    case look somewhat regular, even if that reason is rather specious in the light of
    several phone exchanges – none of which Ricky Tarfa cited as solely concerned
    with the same burial ceremony on which he was so concerned, as he said, that he
    set store by it in highly strenuous exculpation from an obvious irregularity – given
    that Judge Yusufu does not have a merchandise store in the courthouse where he
    sells pure water or rubber slippers that Ricky Tarfa could otherwise have cited as
    mere merchandise purchase payments to a Judge on a live case.

    • Prophet

      Should such a merchandise store belonging to the Judge exist, the law is such that all lawyers are barred from patronizing such a store.

      • kuns

        @aminukolawoleonyekwere:disqus

        YOU ARE VERY RIGHT ON POINT OF LAW…..100% CORRECT TOO!

        RICKY TARFA IS MERELY CLUTCHING AT STRAWS IN HIS OWN MESS.

  • Fredodo1

    These SAN’s are not even as intelligent as i thought they were. Chai…..seriously?

    • Ogbeni Leke Olowe

      Honestly they are not o.

  • Fadama

    The excuse is nothing, but bollocks.

  • Mike

    Now it is becoming clearer to all Nigerians when the president said this where the headache is. Truely it is the headache of all Nigerians that lawyers connived with judges to thwart the justice system to only those who can pay higher. The highest bidder get favorable judgements. Morally that justice yunusa MUST grant rickety all his reliefs. Nigerians must rise to condemn this immoral act and NBA must come up and take a position.

  • Burning Spear

    Jonathan’s ADC Never Made The Statement Accredited Him By The Presidency, Demands Retraction And Apology

    Yet another lie from the pit of hell peddled by the presidential handlers and APC gets busted.

    As reactions continue to trail a recent statement attributed to Col. Ojogbane Adegbe, former aide-de-camp to immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, the military personnel has debunked ever threatening to open a can-of-worm about his erstwhile principal.

    Col. Adegbe, while expressing shocks and disbelief over the recent viral report, which quoted him as saying that if he was forced to reveal what transpired under the last administration, Nigeria will boil, had demanded an unreserved apologia from the management of the Sun Publishing Limited for dragging his hard-earned name to the mud.

    He said his recent visit to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was never in connection with the controversial arms scandal.

    Reacting to the report, the military official in a letter by his solicitor, Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, and exclusively obtained by DAILY POST, denied ever making such controversial statement against his former boss during his interrogation at the EFCC office.

    According the letter, “We have read with shock and disbelief the lead story in your newspaper, dated Friday 12th February, 2016, titled: “If I open up, Nigeria will burn. Detained Jonathan’s ex-ADC warns, as EFCC declares Tompolo wanted” .

    The lawyer, while describing the report as false, misleading and defamatory, said it had caused significant harm to his client’s good name and reputation.

    He said, “we have examined the full story contained on page 7 of the paper and the different statements credited to him and compared them with provable facts. This comparison shows without any doubt whatsoever that, among others, the following of your statements about what transpired are false:

    a. You stated that Col. Adegbe was credited to have said: “If I open up, Nigeria will burn.”

    b. You stated that: “the economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC) picked up Adegbe on Wednesday in Lagos where he was interrogated before he was flown to Abuja yesterday.”

  • BobSolo

    liar liar liar…even your 99 ass hole SANs will not help you…419 lawyer

  • REDEEM

    If Ricky Tarfa had given the judge millions to enable him change the cause of Justice, it would have been understood————–But he gave the judge only 244,000 to cover part of the Funeral Expenses of the late father inlaw—-Now Efcc is telling us the Judge took less than $1000 as bribe? Pls give me a break—EFCC should fight against the thieves in APC such as Amaechi–Fashola arti Dambazua and Prof Yakubu————–Not embark on this fake propaganda work via the Buharimice hired by the Apes in APC to post yeye comment in support of the new czar in efcc—-

    • Paul Young

      I guess you are also burning spear. Your intellect is quite low. Have you ever heard of conflict of interest? Since it was many colleagues that donated the money why didn’t one of the other donors present the money to the judge especially when Mr Tarfa has an ongoing case in that Judge’s court? And if you think 225k isnt a good enough amount to bribe a judge then you need to know that the judge handles several other cases at the same time. With mind sets like yours its no surprise we are where we are today as a nation. This man you are defending is not a PDP member, he does not belong to any political party. He is not in any way related to your brother GEJ, infact he is Northerner(the same people you hate so much, or have you forgotten so soon?). You are not relevant in the scheme of things, so let the EFCC do their job which they were set up to do. thank you

      • Truth Hurts

        He is mental and low, real dummy

      • Burning Spear

        Why would a SAN bribne a sitting judge iwht 244,000 Naira————-less than 1,000 dollars–why———————–is the judge that cheap

        • Paul Young

          Its too small to be a bribe but its plenty enough for to be a contribution from SEVERAL SAN’s and other lawyers. Now the judge isn’t cheap any more abi? FYI judges earm about 1 million. 225k is about a quarter of his monthly salary. If he collects that amount 4 times a month he has made his entire salary on the side

          • ken

            @Paul,the low IQ lad is Deri Orbuka, writing as burning spear, redeem and other clauses! He is just so pathetic you kindly ignore him.

          • Paul Young

            Thanks for the heads up. I noticed all his comments under different names have similar writing styles, plus he keeps saying 244k

      • Prophet

        His mind will not allow him to attribute any good thing happening in Nigeria to the current Government……even such a case in which a revamped EFCC headed by a Northerner, prosecutes a northerner for bribing another northerner. In his mind, it is a sham prosecution because it is happening under the current administration.

    • Ogbeni Leke Olowe

      Are they not that cheap? Cheap justice can collect even #10,000

  • Prophet

    Even if it is N10 contributed by God and his angels which they then put in your hand to give to the Judge for the death of his inlaw (with or without the fact that the said judge handled even a single one of your cases) you have committed a crime. The fact that as a senior Advocate of Nigeria, you put forward this nonsense as your defense is enough to debar you and withdraw whatever professional licenses are in your possession.

    Instead of pleading guilty and throwing yourself at the mercy of the court, you are not only suing for N2.5 Billion, you always want and apology from the EFCC!!!!Wonders shall never end!

    Look here Mr. SAN, your N2.5 Billion and apology should come in the form of a guilty verdict and a long prison sentence.
    You should also be fined and required to pay back the federal Government for the cost incurred to prosecuting both your criminal and dubious civil lawsuits.

  • when will Amaechi be charged

    The immediate past Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi stole $757 million, reliable sources at the Government House told our reporter in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, south-south Nigeria.

    It would be recalled prior to the general elections in Nigeria, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi had issues and a running battle with the former Nigerian First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, that snowballed into a full-blown quarrel. This precipitated a political crisis in the state that led to his defection from the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party, (PDP).

    Rotimi Amaechi, our source revealed, had no option but to align himself with those opposed to Dr. Jonathan presidency. His fear was that should Jonathan, by chance, be re-elected as president of Nigeria he would suffer a great persecution which, our sources say, is unlike the courteous and gentlemanly nature of the former Nigerian leader to seek revenge or respond to every injustice done to him.

    Findings from our investigative reports revealed that Rotimi dug deep into Rivers State coffers and doled out piecemeal a whopping $757 million part of which was used to fund Buhari’s campaign and every hue and cry that has been raised so far to have Rotimi Amaechi investigated in spite of the glaring evidence against him tendered by the Rivers State Government has fallen on deaf ears.

    Our efforts to reach the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the (EFCC) Nigeria’s anti-graft body did not yield any result as calls put through to their office for inquiry and clarification on this very sensitive matter were rebuffed in no uncertain terms.———————–

    Irked by this frustration at every turn to get Rotimi Amaechi refund this ill-gotten gains, some non-governmental organizations, (NGOs) have resolved to retain the services of foreign prosecutors by dragging Amaechi to the International Criminal Court, (ICC) or ECOWAS Court in the West African sub-region to prevail on him and his accomplices to return the looted funds belonging to the people and government of Rivers State, DailyGlobeWatch was reliably told.

    • tarfa

      What about if he had paid a condelence visit to the House of the judge——————The question is who is that Nigeria behind this woman—is Obsanjo or Buhari who————————–Ricky Tarfa did no wrong—————awarethe couple are not even Nigerians————–

    • Truthometer

      Are you ok? I thought you’ve been healed of all your generational curses. You’ve just proved me wrong!

      • amaechi freed by buhari

        Buhari alleged that Jonathan was a desperate politician. I think I agree with that. Out of his desperation he became the president that approved the Freedom of Information Bill that gives Nigerians the right to get information from government, which his predecessors forbade. Out of his desperation he ensured that INEC got a competent boss who he did not previously personally know. Out of his desperation he pursued the passing of the Petroleum Industry Bill to give justice to the marginalized communities that feed our nation. Out of his desperation he allowed the Judiciary to be free and independent.

        The Apes in APC said he is incompetent. I quite agree with them. Good examples of his incompetence are to be found on our federal highways, rail-lines, airports, seaports and other ports. If he were not incompetent how on earth could a man have restored railway services to Nigeria after 29 years of neglect? While Saintly Buhari is busy padding the budget to suit the instatiable desires of Aisha.

        How could a man simultaneously have upgraded most of the airports in Nigeria and built new ones? How could a have dualized all federal highways and fixing all the bad roads from North to South? Imagine the Benin-Lagos-Owerri roads! Imagine the Abuja-Lokoja Road! Imagine the Lagos-Ibadan road (the road was a blood zone). Prior to the last 4 Months before 2015 general elections, nobody lost his life on that road) ! Imagine the Lagos –Kano Railway! Imagine the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Railway! Imagine Enugu having an International Airport, even Onitsha and Warri having Ports and now ready for use. Haba? The reason why Fashola said no President has broken Jonathan’s record in roads construction. Jonathan was incompetent jor! Just like Ricky Tarfa-who bribed a sitting judge with N244,000………………

      • REDEEM

        Ibo man when will Amaechi appear in court—aware Premium Times is not part of the Judiciary–it is a media house——-monkey

  • Prophet

    While Tarfa is at it, he should produce the names of all those that supposedly contributed to the N225K bribe or donation so that we can get rid of all of them in one fell swoop!

  • Arabakpura

    I have my own verdict: The man Ricky Tarfa is a thief! A Senior Armed-Robber of Nigeria (SAN)

    • Burning Spear

      Madu is the main thief–in efcc–he was the one who stole documents relating to the 31 governors ribadu said stole their states blind–Again time for him to tell us what he and Ribadu did with the money donated by the EUROPEAN UNION TO THEM EFCC——————-WE ALL KNOW EFCC WAS NOT CREATED FOR THE NORTHERNERS ALONE-sha

      • Reason-ability

        This man-be careful o. When you are brought in for questioning the insanity plea will not help you o.

  • amazing2012

    Should such amount be enough to bribe a judge ? Only Poor people who never see money will think and judge such few coins to be enough to bribe a seating judge.

    • DanielOsazuwa

      Nigeria government officiers are cheap as a douche. Take the Hallibutton case as an example. 250 million dollars was given to the British man to bribe Nigeria officiers but he only gave them 25 million dollars and the scumbags were singing hosanna. Meanwhile, the government lost billions of dollars due to over invoicing/over billing.

      Even if it was a gift, while will a Judge soil his hands for such peanut?

    • ALBERT

      Must a bribe be in millions? How much do police, Immigration, customs, University lecturers, tax officers collect as bribe?Have you had the benefit to watch Anas Tape on corruption in the Judiciary in Ghana? Judges collect goats, yams and even demand sex to sell judges. It is only good men who can make laws and not the other way round as we have been experimenting in Nigeria. This is certainly going tobe another gate that will expose the judiciary and weed out the bad and rotten eggs. There are some notorious SANs who specialise in defending public officials indicted for corruption by the Efcc. The same set of SANs always appear as lawyers for election riggers . Check the list of lawyers who appeared for Ibori, Igbinedion, Saraki and Dasuki. etc…

  • Burning Spear

    Buhari alleged that Jonathan was a desperate politician. I think I agree with that. Out of his desperation he became the president that approved the Freedom of Information Bill that gives Nigerians the right to get information from government, which his predecessors forbade. Out of his desperation he ensured that INEC got a competent boss who he did not previously personally know. Out of his desperation he pursued the passing of the Petroleum Industry Bill to give justice to the marginalized communities that feed our nation. Out of his desperation he allowed the Judiciary to be free and independent.

    The Apes in APC said he is incompetent. I quite agree with them. Good examples of his incompetence are to be found on our federal highways, rail-lines, airports, seaports and other ports. If he were not incompetent how on earth could a man have restored railway services to Nigeria after 29 years of neglect? While Saintly Buhari is busy padding the budget to suit the instatiable desires of Aisha.

    How could a man simultaneously have upgraded most of the airports in Nigeria and built new ones? How could a have dualized all federal highways and fixing all the bad roads from North to South? Imagine the Benin-Lagos-Owerri roads! Imagine the Abuja-Lokoja Road! Imagine the Lagos-Ibadan road (the road was a blood zone). Prior to the last 4 Months before 2015 general elections, nobody lost his life on that road) ! Imagine the Lagos –Kano Railway! Imagine the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Railway! Imagine Enugu having an International Airport, even Onitsha and Warri having Ports and now ready for use. Haba? The reason why Fashola said no President has broken Jonathan’s record in roads construction. Jonathan was incompetent jor! Just like Ricky Tarfa-who bribed a sitting judge with N244,000

    • ken

      @Deri, kindly shut up. We all know GEJs achievements. We are discussing other achievements in another era, in which case, taking corruption head on! Could you stop taking up space with this your pathetic burning spear rants?

    • Rommel

      HahahahahahahahahaLol stop smoking that weed,it won’t do you any good

  • Mamman

    In each and every neighborhood mosque, in there is a standard Muslim ‘coffin’ that is used to carry the body of a deceased. At each Muslim cemetery, there is a pick up truck that is regularly serviced by the contributions of all around. Grave diggers abound who dig graves freely as their own contribution. Then, after cleansing the body by the relatives of the deceased, an ordinary white cotton matériel that can never be more than N2000 is then bought along with a bottle of perfume(not a desiner). The body is then dressed and brought outside for the final prayer before its finally interred. All these takes roughly 2 to 3 hrs. Better still, most of these items are hardly ever bought. People give them out for free….Now Wailers, tell me what requires over 200k to bury a Muslim? Its a crying shame. I thought I was a very dull guy till today when I realized that am up there with Einstein & the rest. How? Only a dullard will advance the kind of excuse that was advanced by the SAN. Crying shame.

  • SAM .A

    Bastardization of Nigeria judiciary , the bar gives the bribe and the bench takes it, Time to flush out the maggots in both sections , and lock them up in prison and throw away the key . How can criminals defend & preside over judgement?

    • REDEEM

      is that why efcc cannot put Amaechi in the dock————————-may be that is why Fashola cannot be investigated by efcc-either————–just maybe

      • Spoken word

        You are a typical Blackman. Very myopic.

    • Ajofia

      Who’s this FILTHY thing? Who’s this WORTHLESS Nigerian bastard? Gay out
      of my presence you YO-ROBASTARD son of an OduduWORM
      Wh0re……..Shameless Home Incest Factory Product from Orangutan tribe
      SouthWASTE ZOO…..PIG.

  • Burning Spear

    Buhari alleged that Jonathan was a desperate politician. I think I agree with that. Out of his desperation he became the president that approved the Freedom of Information Bill that gives Nigerians the right to get information from government, which his predecessors forbade. Out of his desperation he ensured that INEC got a competent boss who he did not previously personally know. Out of his desperation he pursued the passing of the Petroleum Industry Bill to give justice to the marginalized communities that feed our nation. Out of his desperation he allowed the Judiciary to be free and independent.

    The Apes in APC said he is incompetent. I quite agree with them. Good examples of his incompetence are to be found on our federal highways, rail-lines, airports, seaports and other ports. If he were not incompetent how on earth could a man have restored railway services to Nigeria after 29 years of neglect? While Saintly Buhari is busy padding the budget to suit the instatiable desires of Aisha.

    How could a man simultaneously have upgraded most of the airports in Nigeria and built new ones? How could a have dualized all federal highways and fixing all the bad roads from North to South? Imagine the Benin-Lagos-Owerri roads! Imagine the Abuja-Lokoja Road! Imagine the Lagos-Ibadan road (the road was a blood zone). Prior to the last 4 Months before 2015 general elections, nobody lost his life on that road) ! Imagine the Lagos –Kano Railway! Imagine the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Railway! Imagine Enugu having an International Airport, even Onitsha and Warri having Ports and now ready for use. Haba? The reason why Fashola said no President has broken Jonathan’s record in roads construction. Jonathan was incompetent jor! Just like Ricky Tarfa-who bribed a sitting judge with N244,000

    • Patrick Irwin

      This disciple of corruption, keep defending corruption. GEJ never tarred Owerri oad it was done by OBJ and yar adua. GEJ did not tar Enugu Onithsa or even Enugu PH.

    • whales1212

      You’re showing sign of psychosis bruv,what you’re saying is totally different to what is being discussed, please seek medical help before it’s too late,please take my advice serious.

    • rhad

      out of the desperation he sold Nigeria and collect coins as change unfortunately we don’t spend coins in Nigeria. Do you wear your shoe on the head and cap on your feet?

    • Reason-ability

      I really do pity this person. There is a particular medicine that you can use to suppress the certain street madness display from you that is imminent. The medicine is largatil and if you do not find any one to prescribe it then try the herbal medicines that calm people down-St John’s Wort. You need to treat yourself. It would be sad for your family to come pick you up from the streets. If you run stark raving mad on the streets, only God knows what you could manifest-just supposing you start to confess- “Jonathan gave me 100M, Jonathan gave me N100M and I hate Buhari, I hate Buhari” people may lynch you. No family needs such a debacle. Get the help you need please I beg you

  • SamPsalm

    It is the Devil, Ricky Tarfa! And of course the culture of impunity which has made even top once shrewd lawyers very lazy mentally. Using your firm’s account to send a judge a bribe, sorry, co-operative contribution from your friends towards a befitting burail for the Judge’s father-in-law. That was smart in its dumbness. You must have wronged the Spirit of your own Father-in-Law: probably did not bury him as well with your friends and so he is out to get you for trying to bury another’s father in law very well where they do not need you at all, to get the simple islamic rites for the dead done and buried in raffia. Or stinginess is out to get you and your friends who could only come out with N225,000 for the burial ‘ceremonies’ of a judge’s wife’s/sweetheart’s father. Anyhow, something is out to get you. You have been had

  • Isi Agwo

    ”Based on intelligence report available to the Commission that the Applicant in a desperate bid to pervert the cause of justice…” Oh, the “intelligence report” was not that intelligent after all. EFCC is the militant wing of the Islamist APC party.

  • Amir

    This is a reckless abuse of the Muslim faith and its followers. Rickey Tarfa deserves Fatwa for insulting a devout Muslim man buried within 48 hours with his tainted gift.

    • ??????????

      Amir:

      HOW DID MUSLIM FAITH COME INTO THIS MATTER? WE ARE TALKING OF RICKY TARFA PAYING MONEY
      INTO THE BANK ACCOUNT OF A JUDGE IN A CASE HE WAS INVOLVED WITH. INSTEAD OF YOU TO ASK
      HOW RICKY TARFA KNEW THE JUDGE’S BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER TO FILL A TELLER, YOU TALK FATWA.

  • Dr. Olayomi

    @SamPsalm:disqus & @disqus_kLYYah8DUb:disqus ,

    Let’s not quibble outside the facts, okay? What do we know as FACTS at this stage of the scandal?
    We know that those called Senior Advocates of Nigeria often pay cash into a Judge’s bank account.
    That is all we know. Neither the EFCC nor Judge Yunusa nor the trial court in this case, disagrees.

    It is now for the trial court to draw all necessary inferences for justice implication in this cash trade.
    The number of S.A.N supporting cash payment to Judges – 93 – proves a highly prevalent behavior.
    If cash payment to Judges were anathema to S.A.N, those 93 of them who stood with Tarfa, wouldn’t .

  • signipote

    225000 is a small money to bribe a judge. There’s no way I can believe efcc. All they want is to intimidate the man and put fear in judiciary. The man has explained how he paid the money with facts and figures , I think efcc should shamefully apologise .That was how they said metuh chew his statement . Ndiara

    • Naija

      You obviously lack a thinking faculty.

      • Revolutionary

        “We are overdue for a revolution. If you are afraid of revolution, maybe you have
        something to be afraid of. What is wrong with us having a revolution here in
        Nigeria? Unless, of course, you belong to those who are stealing government
        money or you have something to hide, then of course you should be afraid of
        revolution. After the revolution, there is what we call revolutionary justice;
        the revolutionaries will get you and shoot you. There are many people whom if
        we shoot Nigeria, will become a better place. In fact, if the revolutionaries
        can shoot dead just 500 corrupt people, Nigeria will be a much better place,
        and, God will forgive the revolutionaries.”

        ….…….Dr. Junaid Mohammed

        March 17, 2013

      • Action Group

        You lack one too,his is far better than yours.

      • signipote

        Otunnegi

    • Paul Young

      Its not appropriate for a judge and a lawyer to be having personal deals(even if its just a donation for something) outside of the court room especially when the judge is presiding over a case in which the lawyer is involved. You saw that 93 lawyers followed him for his first hearing. You will see how many lawyers will accompany him for the second hearing especially after he has openly admitted to sending the judge money.

    • rhad

      another criminal minded ventilating thrash. When you are proofing a case of fraud, bribe or corruption the materiality of the amount does not matter but, the intent to influence, induce, deny legitimate owner of his right, justice and access

      • signipote

        For your useless mind

  • ken

    And mr Ricky, about the alleged text messages from your lawyer to the court registrar to assign your cases to oga judge nko? No defense? I think I have an idea, when you get him to hear your cases, you update him on the number of SANs qeueing up to contribute to his mother inlaw’s burial! Then his brother inlaw. His sister inlaw nko? Nonsense! Imagine the dumb defense from a SAN. Condolence my foot!

    • 007bond

      I think those text messages to the Court Registrar for his cases to be assigned only to Judge Yunusa

      are part of the ‘defraying of the burial expenses of Judge Yunusa’s father’. Hahahaha! I dey laugh!

  • R.S. Stephen

    DEAR EDITOR,

    Re: Justice Mohammed Yunusa must go!

    I am a lawyer but not licensed in Nigeria. But I can’t imagine what Nigerians put
    up with over there. In my jurisdiction this chap called Ricky Tarfa would be on
    suspension right now. The less than honorable Judge who received the money, .
    Yunusa, would be on suspension too. This case is too egregious to ponder in the
    civilized world. How does the shamed Justice Yunusa feel when he presides in court
    nowadays? Does he not feel sort of sticky? I actually mean, smelly with bad odours?

    He should step down; if he has self-respect, he just should step down
    from the bench right now. It’s more honourable to jump than to be pushed,
    isn’t it? I wonder what he’s still waiting for. Oh, i think i have an inkling. He may
    probably expect there might be dismissal and a jail term. And he wants to earn
    as much monthly salary as possible whilst this matter drags on, since dismissal
    entails loss and forfeiture of his gratuity and pension. That’s the inkling i have.

    • ed

      No he’s not concern about jail or accounting for any wrong doing. You don’t understand the Nigeria system. Justice Yunusa is s hero within the completely corrupt system. The insanity of a sitting judge accepting money from any group of lawyers, with case before him is unacceptable by any standard. That is called bribery period.

    • Johnson

      We put up with a lot over here. I mean, could the Senate President or his equivalent in the country where you reside be presiding over the Senate while he is undergoing a criminal trial? Our prayer and hope is that in due time our unwritten moral code will be reborn and revived. Nigerians lost their sense of propriety and morality. Even the religious leaders twisted the sacred texts to justify their greed and licentiousness. I want to believe that God heard our prayers for a better Nigeria, that is why these evils are coming to light.

  • Ejiofor A.

    I am very angry with Premium Times. For six months or maybe seven months now I have refused to read it.
    I was not coming to the website at all. My anger is that the Premium Times is too conservative for my liking.
    The situation in Nigeria is too serious for gentleman talk. Time has come for Premium Times Editors to now
    get axes and cutlass. I am telling you. Let he who has no sword or gun go and get one. What Premium Times
    is doing is misleading. Premium Times thinks we are in a normal situation in Nigeria. We are not!

    Nigeria is in a war situation.
    People are getting beheaded in Lagos and the other 35 states on a daily basis, as Kings are kidnapped,
    stripped naked and flogged. Female regents are abducted and raped for weeks before being set free, naked.
    That is not a normal country, no, where infants are raped on daily basis. Stealing has become a sudden culture.
    From local government Councillor to Presidency, stealing is a common profession nowadays. We’re in a mess!
    Let Premium Times not mislead us that good English and civilized conversation can solve this sort of madness.
    Let everybody pull off shirts and get into his singlet and boxers. Nigeria is going mad. Fire is the solution to fire!

    • asking question?

      Ejiofor:

      IS THAT WHY JUDGE YUNUSA GAVE RICKY TARFA HIS BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER
      TO PAY MONEY INTO IT, WHILST STILL PRETENDING TO BE AN IMPARTIAL JUDGE
      IN AN ONGOING CASE IN WHICH RICKY TARFA IS APPEARING IN YUNUSA’S COURT?

      • Julius

        Hahahahahaha !!. Thank you, good question. Dont expect any answer from his lame ass !!

  • Dazmillion

    and what is the NJC and NBA going to do about these stinky revelations?

    • whales1212

      Nothing,bed of the same feather? ………

  • Action Group

    Flimsy excuse by the senior lawyers to defend himself. The receiver and the giver are both culpable for receiving “greek” gift in the temple of justice.

  • Genusa

    Before anyone says this is a flimsy excuse, were there other times money exchanged apart from this once? Did he give the justice money at another time apart from this one that happened about 10days after someone died? If you know what a Justice means, I think 225k naira is actually a paltry sum to bribe a justice. The monthly basic salary of a justice is over 730k per month(according to a TheNation 2015 publication), and thats not including allowances and entitlements that can make the monthly pay get to 5million per month or more. Someone died on the 28th December and money exchanged on the 7th January, I will go with the SAN’s story that it was a donation by a group of lawyers for funeral, especially if the EFCC has not established that money was exchanged at other times other than this one. The timeline is reasonable for it to be for the funeral, even if it is to warm up to the justice. Again, did the justice at any time demanded for the money. If someone donates money for your relatives’s funeral plans, does it necessarily means you are bribed. Ofcourse, you can say the person is trying to warm up to you. Until EFCC can say money was given at other times other than just this once, I will go with the SAN’s part of the story.

    • Charles Uzoma

      Are you kidding me ?.

    • whales1212

      You defo have criminal tendency in you,you mean your conscience wasn’t telling you that you were typing rubbish?

      • Genusa

        You have bribing tendencies. Am sure you have been giving bribes. The SAN’s part of the story said It was a donation by a group of lawyers, not only him. Why would I believe the EFCC story. If a group of students decides to contribute money to give their lecturer as a way of support for a funeral arrangement. Does it mean the lecturer will be obliged to award marks to the students involved.

        • whales1212

          Just listen to your shameless self,is it allowed in law for a judge to have such a close association to a lawyer he’s got a case with? Even with the example you gave,you don’t even know by law you’re not suppose to give certain gifts? Lawlessness is making you to see crime as a norm and I won’t be surprised if you’ve been giving lecturers gifts for the best reason known to you.

          • Genusa

            Tell me in law were it is not allowed for a group of lawyers to donate money to a judge to support for a funeral arrangement. Why is the bribe not giving at any other time, except this once that the judge lost someone

          • whales1212

            For your information, that’s not the only evidence they’ve got against him,there are phone conversations too and I really don’t know if lawyers are allowed too to be discussing with a judge when a case is going on. You know people like you are the problem in our society, my job is to frown at evil,the job of accused is to prove his innocence, so I find it ridiculous when ordinary citizens defend evil by all means,of course, it’s understandable if you’re ricky taffa saying this.

          • Genusa

            My very intelligent man, you have pronounced him guilty before the court did. Thats show how bias you are. Must I believe what the EFCC said. Why can’t I believe what the accused said or will say in defense. Thats actually the problem this country has. Why must EFCC be trying someone in the newspapers to the extent of sending their evidences to media companies to publish to the public, when the matter is yet to be tried in court. Do you even know that an accused is assumed innocent until proven otherwise. Don’t you know this part too Mr. intelligent.

          • whales1212

            Unfortunately your brain doesn’t seem to know evil when it sees one,that’s why a lawyer sending money to a judge is nothing to you,I suspect you have someone involved in crimes because you’re really good at defending nonsense. I think you’re at liberty to believe what you like but god help you the way you reason tbh. I’m biased to question a lawyer who was sending money to a judge and I should believe him that what? Look, you’re not making sense and I guess you have your reason for this your absurd views. I want a Nigeria where all this nonsense will stop and I believe we’ll get there. I can assure you, you won’t say this in a sane world because you won’t get much support.

          • Genusa

            I will only believe what the court decides at the end of the day. An accused is assumed innocent until proven otherwise. I am not the one that said this. And you don’t judge a matter by listening to one side. My argument for the SAN is that the money given fell within the time someone died. After that, no money exchanged hands again at any other time. If there was a second exchange of money between the SAN and the judge, I will not be here arguing.

          • whales1212

            You should be ashamed of what you’re saying. Go and read about UK MP called Chris Huhne who was sentenced to jail,the judge that got involved in the perjury case was sacked and lost every right as a judge even though she had spent more than 30 years in the judiciary, but you know people like you support nonsense because of the impunity and the kind of society you live,in a normal society these two would have been suspended until the case is thoroughly investigated. I suspect you might be related to this criminals and as such I’m not that surprised. Honestly, you can’t know more than your environment except you have criminals you need to protect even when you live in a better society. God help you.

          • Genusa

            This man stop quoting and referring me to things that you don’t have details about. You claim to know so much, but I laugh at your ignorance and grasp of how matters are handled legally.

            Chris Hugne had a speeding case, which he was charged for, and which he pleaded guilty to, and was sentenced.

            His wife Vicky lied about taking the points and was found guilty and was sentenced.

            The judge Briscoe lied and was tried and found guilty.

            DO YOU WHAT HAPPENED IN EACH OF THESE? I am sure your highly intelligent brain won’t let you know that in all these there were due court process followed. While Hugne pleaded guilty, the other two were found guilty by the court.

            An accused is assume innocent until proven otherwise. Ricky Tarfa is yet to be charged for bribing a judge. The matter is not yet tried and defended in any court of law.

            Tell me my friend, why have your own court inside your room found Tarfa guilty before trial. You have become both the judge and jury inside your small room and with your computer. You can’t wait until court decides AS IT IS DONE IN SANE SOCIETY.

          • whales1212

            I don’t need to find him guilty, I simply have problem with your assertion that the money was given to a judge one time for burial? And that sounds cool to you in your defence? You’re confused man, Chris and the wife were sent to jail for the same offence, the judge who was a friend of the wife also charged for perverting the course of justice, money wasn’t involved o, and here you are defending a tout of a lawyer and a shameless judge? Oh I need to wait till another irresponsible judge declare him innocent? I don’t know if you read law but you were thought a lawyer can send money to a judge right? I didn’t read law but i don’t see how you’re making sense, something is fundamentally wrong with your criminally inclined mind.

          • Genusa

            You are now not interested in finding him guilty or not via a due process. But you are here talking about HOW THINGS ARE DONE IN SANE SOCIETY. The sane society follow due processes and find someone guilty in a court, not in the newspaper or in your little room. And thats exactly what happened in the Chris case you referred me to. LOL. ok you thought am one dumb person that don’t follow facts. Sorry, you got the wrong guy. Chris and Co. were all proven guilty by a competent court, or they pleaded guilty in a competent court. Tarfa is not even on a dock yet to plead guilty or not guilty for bribing a judge. He has told you it was not a bribe. That it is not him alone but a group of lawyers donated money for the burial(what if he comes with proof that shows group of lawyers made the contribution). The death happened on 28th Dec 2013. And the money exchanged on the 7th January 2014. The timeline is what makes it logical to me. Again, at no other time was it established he gave money again to the judge or any other judge, to believe he is in the habit of bribing judges. EFCC said it is bribe. Accused said it is no bribe. All said in a newspaper. Until they go to court and everyone show prove their case, the accused will stand innocent until proven guilty. Thats how sane society works. The judge is a member of the National Judicial Council. The council can look into the matter, and investigate what happened. Bro, these things are not just done in the newspapers.

          • whales1212

            Honestly if you’re a lawyer, the best option for you is to join cult “ogboni” for you to make headway in this legal profession. Is it right,legal for a judge to give his account to a lawyer and receive money from a lawyer for whatever purpose? Is it legal for a judge to do that even when the same lawyer has got a case to defend before him. You’re not making sense and you think it’s funny? Or you mean a judge needs to interpret that to me even if I don’t read law. Are you a lawyer? Really this is pathetic, is it legal for a judge to give his account out to a lawyer and receive such fund under any guise?

          • Genusa

            Mr. Man, we are talking about how things are done in sane society for it to be applied to our own society. It is a matter for court and NJC to decide. Judges don’t live in isolation. The accused said after the judge lost a father-in-law, a group of lawyers contributed money for the burial. Let me help you a little more. Strictly based on evidence of submission by the EFCC, the money did not exchange at the time the cases EFCC mentioned happened. The money was paid 7th January 2014(9 days after the day the judge lost someone). The cases EFCC mentioned are cases of later part of 2015 and 2016. Did he bribe the judge for this cases about a year and half earlier. The EFCC did not mention there was a case pending at the time the money was paid. I am judging based on the dates. Let me help you again. All this while we are talking, I was indirectly teaching you how to present an argument. At the initial stages of our discussion, you were all about calling me names. You are gradually coming out of that as evidenced in your latest response. Keep it up. Learn to be mature and civil when you argue. Present your facts without raining abuses. You argue to learn. You see the due process is for the court and NJC to investigate and decide. Even NBA has a role to play being that Tarfa is their member. You don’t do these things on the pages of the newspaper. The due process is when an accused and prosecutor stands to prove their various claims before a competent court or panel. In all EFCC alleged against Tarfa, only one of it is very tangible to the case.

          • whales1212

            Stop beating about the bush,I asked is it legal for a judge to receive money from a lawyer and you’re going on about this long story of teaching me,can’t you just answer simple question? I should learn to be matured, who are you?that’s by the way. I asked again, the law book that you read,is it legal for a judge to be having conversation and receiving financial favour from a lawyer,it’s something straight forward. All this it’s not on paper you’re going on about is weird because the citizens hear about things like this on pages of paper,they can comment on it,if it goes to court,the judge can sentence or not,that doesn’t stop the citizens discussing it you know, I wish you can answer question, stop drifting about. If you’re a lawyer,just show me the law which allows a judge to receive or give his account to a lawyer and then receive fund. I haven’t seen that before and I haven’t seen anyone defending that before, may be only you,even may be only you on this forum, secondly what is your interest? Just look at it,this person is being accused of criminal stuff,what is your interest, obviously I’m not a lawyer “are you a lawyer”?
            Now to go about in a sane world, I’m so sure this two would have been suspended pending the outcome of investigation and no one will reason like you. A lawyer who tried to be smarter is in jail now with ibori and I suspect you might want to be that type of lawyer,if you’re a lawyer anyway. This type of disgusting discussion doesn’t happen in a sane world because ordinary citizens wouldn’t expect a judge having anything to do with a lawyer and it’s weird that someone can come on here and say what you’re saying. Tafa said it’s a gift and instantly you believed him,a lawyer? Isn’t that being gullible? what other evidence has he presented? You just believed because Tafa said? Omg! I believe efcc because they have presented evidence to believe them on evidence of probability ok?

          • Genusa

            At least you have become modest in the argument. Keep it up. We argue to learn. There is a code of conduct which applies to every civil servant not just judges that you don’t except compensation or gift or whatever in the like for discharging your duties. For this case in question, the 225k was not a gift for discharge of duties by the judge. Tarfa specifically claimed that he and a group of lawyers contributed money as donation for the funeral of a relative of the judge. And the timeline of the donation showed it was exactly when the judge lost someone, and no such gift was given at any other time. By this, the donation cannot be said to be giving to the judge in the course of discharging his duties. If it is donated by a group of lawyers, you cannot rightly say it is a bribe. It was meant for a funeral and not for the judge to discharge his duty, which is when the code of conduct required of a civil servant applies. Legally, for it to be a bribe, the EFCC will need to prove that Tarfa and Co. donated the said money to influence the judge in the discharge of his duty. But the timeline of the incident makes Tarfa’s case of donation for funeral a strong one. The money was given just 9 days after the judge lost someone. Unless, you can prove the money was given to the judge for the discharge of his duty, you cannot prove it was a bribe. My friend, the law is a two edged sword. The law deals with evidence and facts available, not on our sentiments. To be honest, the only one area the EFCC has a strong case against Tarfa is the part they said they obtained text message from his phone were Tarfa asked a court registrar to assign a case file to a particular judge. I won’t defend Tarfa if we are arguing on this part. But it is still a one side story. In law, you will also need to hear Tarfa’s side of it. He hasn’t said anything on this yet. I am particularly interested in this. I know an accused can rightly ask that a particular judge do not involve in his case, if he thinks the judge will be biased and the judge can withdraw from the case. But i do not know if it is legal for a lawyer to request that his case be assigned to a particular judge. I am not a lawyer, but I am knowledgeable. Tarfa has a very weak case here. But be patient. There are bodies that has responsibilities for matters like this, not the newspaper. If something went wrong, the NBA, the NJC, the court will certainly deal with it and we will know the outcome. The law is a two-edged sword and it doesn’t deal on sentiments. It deals on facts and evidence presented.

          • whales1212

            Interesting, Tafa said the donation is from a group of lawyers and because he said I should believe him right away? You know all this your long story is based on what tafa said even though you believe in law arguments are based on evidence, don’t you think that is paradoxical? Are you related to tafa or the judge because you believed him right away because he said, no evidence or proof was provided and you just believed, that doesn’t follow common sense except there’s more to the reason why you believe he has a case?
            Secondly you actually know there’s a code of conduct that says civil servants shouldn’t accept gift whatsoever but you found exception to what tafa did and the judge receiving it you don’t see anything wrong with that? It’s like I’m hearing this for the first time, is burial which there is no evidence to that an exception to that law? Don’t you see there is conflict of interest in what the judge did and even in your argument here?
            You said efcc would have to prove the money was a bribe,so tafa’s claim would be admissible because “he said” right? These are the reasons I think,for you to have taken so much time to defend someone like this,it’s like you know him or the judge? because something doesn’t add up. I don’t have any reason to just believe him like you did because he said,efcc has provided 3 to 4 evidences or claim and here you are believing a man because he said. I therefore submit there is a clear case of conflict of interest which in a sane world would have fetched at least a suspension for these two guys by now.
            Lastly, I don’t have any reason to insult you and if by any chance you feel insulted,I do apologise, we want the best for our country, obviously we might have different views on how to go about it. It’s a pleasure arguing about that but I think there might be reason I don’t know why you’ve taken such a position.

          • Genusa

            He will need to be found guilty by a competent court, or by a panel set up by NJC or NBA. These three bodies are the ones to decide if EFCC should be believed or Tafa should be believed. They are the ones to discipline anyone. An accused remain innocent until proven guilty. You don’t try someone and find him guilty all in newspapers.

          • whales1212

            You’re not being honest with yourself,you believed tafa for a statement without evidence and that’s virtually what you base all this your unnecessary argument on? God help you, but that doesn’t stop me an ordinary citizens from expressing my view,that’s not judgement as you make it sound. The reason why you support tafa is best known to you.

          • Genusa

            Until he is found guilty, you are biased. You want to believe EFCC that tarfa gave bribe. It is your choice. I want to believe Tarfa that it was not a bribe. It is my choice. So, stop claiming that you are the one right here. I must not believe what the EFCC said, because you chose to believe them. It is the duty of the court, the NBA and the NJC to find him guilty. Until when that is done, an accused is innocent.

          • whales1212

            I hope you’re aware your boss has changed his affidavit again? The money was actually given to another mohamed yunusa, you’ve heard that? Hahaha, yeye dey smell. Lol

          • Genusa

            You can now see my reasons why I said these things are not done in the newspapers. Yes, there is inconsistency in his statement now, and it is not commendable even to me. But it can be made consistent, if Tarfa now said it is given to the judge for burial but not directly but through his former staff Yunusa. Again, the first statement was not deposed to an affidavit but the second is. What you deposed to in affidavit is what is held sacrosanct.

            But what does it tell you of the EFCC. It has rubbished the EFCC is an organization that does not carry out thorough investigation. They did not check properly who owns the account money is paid into. It has now made mockery of the EFCC bribery claim. Why would the EFCC take unverified facts to the media to claim someone gave a bribe. It is gross incompetence. I cannot imagine the FBI or the Metropolice doing this kind of blunder.

            While one can now rightly say that Tarfa has become inconsistent, The EFCC claim of bribery of 225k has evaporated if it is true the account is not the account of the judge. The EFCC have lied and deceived us because they didn’t do thorough investigation before going to the media with false fact. Do you still want me to believe the EFCC? My brother, trials are not done in the media.

    • Prophet

      Not everyone is supposed to use their mind to earn a living. We are sure their tons of other things you can do.

      • Genusa

        It was a donation by a group of lawyers, not only him. If a group of students decides to contribute money to give their lecturer as a way of support for a funeral arrangement. Does it mean the lecturer will be obliged to award marks to the students involved.

    • Eziokwubundu

      You got it all wrong. The reason for paying judges fat sums of money as salary n allowances is to insulate them from being influenced in dispensing justice. If according to you Yunusa collects up to N5m monthly as emolument, why collect additional paltry N225k from a lawyer who could hv a case pending in his court. The answer is plain greed. The judge is very greedy n will collect any amount no matter how small. The judge should have known that it is ethically n morally wrong to receive such money. It portrays a total lack of of integrity and lack of understanding of code of conduct of judicial officers on the part of judge Yunusa. Let the giver n receiver face the music.

      • Genusa

        It was a donation by a group of lawyers, not only him. If a group of students decides to contribute money to give their lecturers as a way of support for a funeral arrangement. Does it mean the lecturer will be obliged to award marks to the students involved.

  • rhad

    tarfa legal criminal – the accused is turning to accuser. Unless this shameless senior advocate of bribery and corruption is jailed the other learned criminals would not learn.

    • FirecloudOFGOD

      On a different forum, I just said that just as Saraki needs to be used as a Guinea Pig for politicians to know there is a new Sheriff in town, Tafa has fortuitously presented himself on a platter of Gold for severe punishment that will categorically send a very strong message to these corruption-laden lawyers and judges about simple rules of ethics and morality!

      • Julius

        You are absolutely correct !!. Saraki is in trouble and he knows it. He cant bribe Judges anymore. This is the reason why the case has gone this far. We shall keep watching !

  • OmoLasgidi

    T-Ricky Tarfa – the issue is not the purpose for the donation/gift. The circumstances and the timing is the real issue – for fact, he had a case pending with the Judge, and no way there would be no conflict of interest on the part of the judge. Expectedly tying the hands of the crooked judge in accepting the “Greek Gift”. Interesting to see what the Crooked Judge’s response to his query form the NJC will be!

  • ed

    The hole in Tarfa story are plentiful. 1. Who are the lawyer friends, if one is sending money on behalf of others you’ll mention the name of the contributors in the text message. 2. Where is the record of the money transfer to him by the other lawyers.
    3. Gift of money to a judge handling a case Tarfa was involved can’t be explain away in a justice system with the rules and account. There is no other name than bribery.

  • Nigeria4u

    EFCC has no case agaisnt Tarfa, they should simply compensate him for persecuting him. One day EFCC will arrest Buhari’s wife for donating money to widows or arrest a beggar for receiving money from the givers.

    • ed

      You’re one of the reason Nigeria is morally bankrupy.

    • onyefeze

      Nigeria4u,I am sure you did not mean to say what you have just said. Otherwise I would wonder whether it is worth even reading your comments.

    • Debekeme

      If try to profile who you are i’m sure i will be at least 90% correct.

      We have gotten to the point we can guess the profile and political leaning of people who make comments like you.

      Very soon people like you will be fully discredited.Learn to be patriotic and love your country.

    • Julius

      You are a moron, a retard !!

  • Richard Wall

    Many people commenting on this issue are doing so based on ignorance. The fact of the matter is that the amount is immaterial. As a matter of fact, it does not even need to involve money. Rule 3(f)(j) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers
    provides that ‘A judicial officer and members of his family shall neither ask for nor accept any gift, bequest, favour, or loan on
    account of anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties’

    The import of the foregoing is crystal clear , ( at least to those with an IQ higher than 1 ). What rickey tarfa and lawyers like him are doing is condemnable. They are influencing the judges by giving them gifts and this is to the detriment of the opposing party. Which judge will rule against rickey tarfa after benefitting from his “generosity”. It is even so bad that some retired judges are employed in rickey tarfa’s chambers as ” in- house consultants “.

    Retired judges are prohibited from appearing as counsel in court because it is believed that they would unduly influence their fellow judges. In the same vein, retired judges should be banned from working for practising lawyers because while being employed as judges, there is every likelihood that they would unduly favour certain lawyers because they have been promised employment by them ,after retirement.

    (in) justice yunusa should be dismissed and rickey tarfa should be disbarred. These actions would serve as a deterrent to others who may be like-minded.

    Great judges of times past like Justices Nnaemeka-Agu ,Kayode Eso ,Craig, Oputa ,Nnamani ,etc, etc,etc, must be rolling in their graves seeing how the judiciary has been so bastardised as to become a ” cash and carry ” affair.It is a crying shame. Shame on (in) justice yunusa , rickey tarfa and all those of their ilk.

    PMB has to carry out a mass purge of the judiciary to weed out all the corrupt judges( unfortunately the majority of judges)

    • Johnson

      Fantastic.Can you imagine what the bank accounts and financial transactions of the “in-house consultants” will reveal? My brother, this Ricky Tarfa’s case is causing a lot of unease and panic at the moment. The dark smelly stuff has hit the fan.

      • Richard Wall

        It is demeaning for a judge who used to be the master of all he surveyed to work for a lawyer who used to appear before him and address him as ” my lord “. Can you believe that one of the judges working for rickey tarfa is a retired Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, i.e. the number three in the judicial hierarchy after the Chief Justice and the President of the Court of Appeal. The other one is a retired judge of the Lagos high court.

        I am sure that if you check records, you will find out that rickey tarfa ” won ” all the case in which he appeared before these two (dis)honourable judges.

        rickey tarfa must now be regretting why he prevented the EFCC from arresting his clients. Like you rightly pointed out, the brown stuff has really hit the ceiling, big time. Stay tuned for more revelations. Heads will roll.

        Take care my brother.

    • Julius

      Thank you !!!

      • Richard Wall

        I am honoured my brother.

    • Reason-ability

      My Father was a judge and even the youngest child in our house knew that no one was allowed to collect even a crate of eggs let alone chicken, turkey, ram or yams as gifts from anyone other than family during festivities. My Father forbade all of us and explained to us that litigants would try any means of getting a judge compromised. Not only this, my Dad never attended parties. He brought us up to be self-sufficient in our home for our entertainment and fun, so we ended up all being bookworms and a bit reclusive, but that has stood us all in good stead. Shame on the judges and lawyers who go around wearing aso-ebi. The miladies (though there are no women at the bar) especially of the Lagos Judiciary even take ankos for the weddings of their children. Shame on lawyers and the Bench. Physicians heal thyselves.

      • Richard Wall

        My brother your father is an examplar of the quintessential judge. That is how judges are supposed to be. I am sure you remember that judges were like God. They had this aura around them that made even honest people to shiver in their august presence. Gone are those days my brother.

        I believe PMB should ” encourage” the National Judicial Council to organise seminars where judges like your father should teach serving judges about the ethics of the judiciary using real life case studies.

        Also, newly appointed judges should undergo a comprehensive orientation/mentoring programme anchored by retired judges of the golden era of the judiciary, like your father. I believe learning at the feet of these judicial giants would put newly appointed judges on the straight and narrow path.

        Do you know that people used to remove their shoes and tiptoe past the residence and office of the late Justice Johnson Idowu Conrad Taylor,( former CJ of Lagos, after whom Idowu Taylor Street, VI is named ) not because he asked them to but out of deference for his reputation as a no-nonsense judge. Gone are those days.

        Like you rightly pointed out, now judges are social butterflies and float from one party to another.I would not be surprised if Sunny Ade waxes a record for a judge one of these days.That would be the height.

        The judiciary has gone to the dogs.

        Take care my brother

      • Sometimes when I want to give up or just hit my fists on the wall out of sheer frustration on the bastardisation and demeaning of once revered and honourable profession, testimonies like yours acts as unabated impetus for one to literally keep soldiering on, reassuring oneself that after all is not lost. That there are still out there men and women of the judiciary who have sanctified and kept to the highest ethics of their calling. Mortgaging their conscience for a plate of porous porridge served to them by criminals is the greatest disservice to themselves and to the Nigerian nation. People like Tarfa Rickey and the shameless battalion thronging to the court to defend him should hang their corruption infested heads in abject shame as they have no place in this noble profession.

        • Reason-ability

          I completely share your outrage, but one good thing is that the law of sowing and reaping is sacrosanct. The corrupters sow corruption and reap their evil rewards. Rickey will not escape this one and neither shall the judge. From now onwards every SAN, nay every lawyer will be careful how he conducts his practice of the law.

  • Debekeme

    Because you hate Buhari/Muslims/Northerner in Power/APC you are ready to make excuses for terrible crimes against your own country?

    I read your comments and i cant believe you are in support of Tarfa all because you are against Buhari.

    You are suffering, living a life of poverty because the country has been looted for decades

    Yet, you would rather continue in your suffer instead of supporting a President that wants to make things better just because you hate him.

    Prayers of people like you are never answered by God.

    Rickey Tarfa, Yunusa and a large number of judges and judicial workers are enemies of Nigeria. They are your enemies. We must fight them not because we love Buhari, we must fight them because we love Nigeria and have no other country.

    • abodes_124

      We are all entitled to our opinions based on our knowledge and biases. in the end the courts will decide on the facts before it and the relevant laws of the land.

  • Cleartruth

    This tarfa should be prosecuted together with the judge. This is a clear case of bribery. He can’t explain it away. Journalists should do underground investigative journalism to expose these corrupt judges.

  • Holy truth

    If d foto above is d face of dat SENIOR ANIMAL OF NIGERIA called Ricky tarfa, it speaks volumes. D face looks nothing less than a very hardened criminal. D face looks wicked, looks criminal & looks unrepentant. He is a real SENIOR ANIMAL OF NIGERIA (SAN)

    • John

      Holytruth, are you a prophet? if you think you are not, then know it today that you are, because you said it the way it is….the man’s face does not need you to ask further if his is one of the toxics in our judiciary….

    • Julius

      lolz.

  • Prophet

    Another horrible angle is the light that Tarfa’s explanation shines on the Nigerian Judiciary and our lawyers
    How can a Senior Advocate of Nigeria utter this kind of thing in court? How did such a man become SAN in Nigeria? How did he even pass law school?

    Is the burden of proof not on EFCC?
    A sensible lawyer would tell his client to be quiet and let the state proof their case. But this SAN has done the job from A to Z for the prosecution.

    He has accepted that he sent the money
    He has agreed that the intended recipient is the judge
    He has confirmed EFCC’s forensic report of his transactions (bank and phone) as correct?

    We pray the rest of the criminals that bled the nation dry hire lawyers that are of equally ‘gifted’!

    • Debekeme

      I’m embarrassed that as a lawyer i didn’t view it from that angle. Well done on your analysis. Very accurate

    • abodes_124

      perhaps because there are 2 courts operating in this case. the court of public opinion and the court of law. when the EFCC states its case in either court he has to decide if and when to respond. in courting public opinion either sides statements can become prejudicial to their case. The EFCC record for getting convictions remains poor to date.

  • Usman

    Mr. Tarfa, you need less than 10, 000 Naira to bury a corpse in Islam, in fact, it’s not the responsibility of the son in law to do that, his neighbors are more responsible to do it, you simply gave him some money to cover expenses needed for his journey to Maiduguri and that’s plain corruption

  • joelaw

    Rickey, you have soiled your name for life. You have also succeeded in soiling the Nigerian judiciary. A 6 year old would not have used such a thoughtless alibi. Even in a banana republic no one will believe you. Come to think of it, can the law Profession retrieve the SAN awarded him. There is nothing noble and learned about Rickey, he is a common criminal.

  • onyefeze

    Let Mr Ricky Tarfa go tell this story to the dogs. He has unwittingly admitted having unusual close relationship with Justice Yunusa. If the committee of friends of Yunusa considered him a fit and proper person to deliver their contribution to the man, it simply means that all are in agreement that he has uncommon relationship with him. This lawyer is the No 1 liar we have today in Nigeria. Let Tarfa give us the names of those Yunusa friends who made the contribution, their phone numbers and the amount contributed by each person. We are yet to hear the last of this case. If this liar is not sent to jail, then we should forget all this noise about fighting corruption in Nigeria.

  • Rommel

    HahahahahahahahahahahahaLol!!! Godddddddddd I don suffer see story,old criminals Lol!

  • Julius

    Lmaoooooooooooooooooo !!. This is getting good !!. This one na new one ooo. Watch others using the same line soon. Yeye people.

  • zygote

    How this guys get honored with SAN is amazing. What is a bribe and what is a donation? Are they not the same thing? He just pleaded guilty.

  • Truthometer

    Is there anything wrong with the name Tarfa? Do anybody remember the convicted former Inspector General of Police, Tarfa Balogun? May God help us from Tarfas!

  • egoigwe

    EFCC states under oath as follows:

    “That I know as a fact that in further specific response to paragraphs 58 – 64 of the affidavit in support, investigations carried out by the Respondents into the Applicant’s Firm’s (Rickey Tarfa & Co.) Access Bank Account with account no. 0000964760 shows that before the institution of the above proceeding particularly on the 7th January 2014 the Applicant bribed His Lordship, Honourable M. N. Yunusa with the sum of N225,000.00 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Naira) a copy of the Applicant’s firm account details showing the transfer of the sum of N225,000.00 (Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Naira) from the Applicant’s firm to Honourable Justice M. N. Yunusa is hereby shown to me
    and marked Exhibit ‘O’.”

    What in essence is EFCC saying??? Is EFCC saying that Tarfa bribed Justice Yunusa in advance for a matter that was yet to be filed in mid 2015 in 2014, or that the said bribe was in respect of another matter before Justice Yunusa at the time??? EFCC either failed or dodged the bullet by not making clear in respect of what the bribe was for in 2014.

    I am sure EFCC is not claiming that Mr. Tarfa is endowed with the gift of clairvoyance.

  • Sincerely Yours

    After receiving the money, the judge sent an sms thanking Tarfa – I think it was something like “thank you my brother SAN”. There were no mention of extending his gratitude to the other ‘donors’. Like others have pointed out, names and amounts from each person, totalling the said money, should also be made public.

  • Bronco

    Muy interestante ! As my Spannish friend would say.I just can’t believe this is happening in our judicial/legal system .And when PMB cried out loud about his greatest headache in this epic battle,he was criticized by the unwary commentators.Nothing short of a purge of the systems can salvage the fight against corruption .