The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA and senior lawyers in the country,
have condemned the recent arrest and continued detention of a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rickey-Tarfa, SAN, by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, since Friday without releasing him on
bail. Former President of the NBA, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu , SAN,
commenting on the issue said; “I think that this is an unfortunate
development, a situation where lawyers are arrested in court while
performing their lawful duties, this must be condemned in unequivocal
terms. However, this is the work of an agency, no government can allow
this, especially when you have a senior lawyer, a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria as the Vice-President, the government will do its best to avoid
such things. It is the work of overzealous agents, we will call on the
Vice-President to intervene and ensure his release.
“Since the NBA
President has intervened, they should release him to NBA President for
him to appear on Monday to answer to whatever charges they have against
him. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he cannot jump bail, This is
utter disregard for the rule of law and the sanctity of the legal
profession guaranteed by the Constitution.” Another former President of
the NBA, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, 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.” Reacting, the law firm, Rickey Tarfa
&Co. in a statement signed by its Partner and Head of Chambers, Mr.
John Olusegun Odubela, 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.”
http://dailyindependentnig.com/2016/02/nba-others-condemn-ricky-tarfas-arrest-efcc/
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