Court Restrains EFCC from Arresting Rickey Tarfa

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting Mr. Rickey Tarfa SAN pending the hearing and determination of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed before the court.

Tarfa had stormed the court with 30 Senor Advocates of Nigeria led by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) asking the court to restrain EFCC.

Counsel to the applicant, Chief Bolaji Ayoride (SAN), Babajide Koku (SAN), Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), Abiodun Owownikoko (SAN), Adiniyi Adegbomire (SAN), Abimbola Akeredolu and several other lawyers were in court.

In an ex parte application brought pursuant to Sections 34,35,36, 37 and 41 of the fundamental rights (enforcement procedure) Rules, 2009, Tarfa is praying the court to order EFCC to produce to court, his two mobile handsets and a Mercedes Benz SUV seized from him.

Recall that EFCC had arrested Tarfa for allegedly preventing EFCC operatives from arresting his client within the court premises.

When the matter came up yesterday, Ayorinde urged the court to make an order that in view of the service of the originating summon on the respondents in this suit, status Quo Ante Belum should be maintained and that the respondents should stay action from further violating the applicant's fundamental right.

Ayorinde said the essence of the application was to ensure the rights of the applicant were not violated.

In his response counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to refuse the applicant's prayer adding that it was meant to prevent the Commission from performing it's statutory duty.

He said there was a pending charge against the applicant before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of a Lagos State High court.