Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, yesterday bemoaned the large number of senior lawyers and other counsel who were in court to defend Mr. Rickey Tarfa, SAN, in the case slammed on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bordering on alleged obstruction of justice and attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, represented the defendant with hordes of Senior Advocates and several other lawyers in the over 90-man list of defence counsel.

Justice Opesanwo noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court.

Tarfa pleaded not guilty to both counts, based on which the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody.

The defence counsel, however, said they had filed an application for bail which was served on the prosecution on February 10, 2016.

In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant came to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognizance. He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail.

However, prosecution counsel, Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.

Justice Opesanwo in her ruling granted bail to the defendant on self recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

Soon after the ruling, Akintola told the court that he has filed an application to quash the charge. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court.

Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial.

Mr. Rickey Tarfa, SAN, was accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.

Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge.

•Photo shows Rickey Tarfa, SAN, leaving court with his counsel . . . yesterday in Lagos.

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