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A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday barred the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from disturbing the rights and privileges of a Lagos lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), pending the determination of the N2.5 billion damage suit he filed against the anti-graft agency.
Justice M.B. Idris made the firm order after the arguments of Tarfa’s lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), supported by six Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Tarfa had filed the suit against the anti-graft agency and his Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, following his recent alleged illegal arrest and detention. Others joined in the suit include Moses Awolusi, the operatives that illegally arrested him and the Deputy Director Operations, EFCC, Lagos office, Iliyasu Kwarbai.
Apart from the monetary compensation, Tarfa is also asking the court to compel the defendants to release his two mobile handsets deceitfully collected from him on Friday, February 5, 2016 at their Ikoyi office in Lagos to the court for the purpose of destructing all information, data and other retrievable materials stored in the two handsets.
He is equally seeking an order of the court to direct the defendants to release his Mercedes Benz SUV with registration No. KJA 700CG unlawfully seized from him.
The Senior Advocate is, at the same time, asking the court to order EFCC, Magu and two other defendants to publicly apologise to him in at least two widely circulated national newspapers, social media and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as well as Channels Television within 24 hours from the day of the judgment of the suit. Besides, he wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants and their agents from further violating his rights apart from the payment of N20 million for the cost of this suit.
The 52-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit was sworn to by the Head of Rickey Tarfa Chambers, Mr. John Olusegun Odubela, who narrated the genesis of Tarfa’s ordeal as a witness to what he described as the Gestapo tactics employed by the anti-graft agency.
The court adjourned to February 19 for the continuation of the matter.
•Photo shows Rickey Tarfa (SAN).
