The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has blown the lid on the pervasive culture of kickbacks, sleaze, manipulation and bribery that the Nigerian judiciary has become famous for.

A senior Nigerian lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), was arraigned on Tuesday at a federal high court in Lagos by the anti-graft agency on a 2-count charge bordering on obstruction of justice. Tarfa made a show of intimidating the court by showing up for his hearing with 33 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) in tow.

The EFCC says Tarfa has a reputation for bribing judges hearing his cases and using questionable technicalities to swing judgments his way.

In an affidavit deposed by EFCC investigator Moses Awolusi, the EFCC revealed phone numbers/ communication of Mr. Tarfa, the judge, and bank documents detailing money transfer from the lawyer to Justice Yunusa of the federal high court–the same judge hearing Mr Tarfa’s case.

“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. …..,”

‎‎”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.

‎”That investigations revealed that whilst Suits Nos. FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria (owned by the suspects) and EFCC and FHC/L/CS/716 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria and EFCC were pending before His Lordship Justice M. N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos Judicial Division were ongoing, the Applicant and Honourable Justice Yunusa of the Federal High Court were in constant communication outside the court through their mobile phone numbers i.e. GSM 080xxxxxx belonging to Justice Yunusa and GSM 080xxxxx belonging to the Applicant Rickey Tarfa SAN respectively.

“Now shown to me is the call/message logs marked Exhibit ‘E’ revealing communication between the Applicant and Honourable Justice M. N. Yunusa during the pendency of the said proceedings.

“That I am aware that a petition regarding this unethical practice between the Applicant and Honourable Justice M. N. Yunusa is already pending against Justice M. N. Yunusa before the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Honourable Justice M. N. Yunusa has been asked to respond to same by the NJC.”

The EFCC also stated that Mr. Tarfa’s law firm, Rickey Tarfa & Co. with Access Bank Account no. 0000964760 paid N225,000 into Justice Yunusa’s bank account.

“‎I know from facts revealed during investigation that the said bribe of N225, 000.00 Two Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Naira) was accepted and acknowledged by Justice Yunusa in a text message to the Applicant wherein he said, “Thank you my senior advocate”.

‎”I also know that investigations has revealed that the applicant’s law firm was in the habit of asking the Chief Registrar of the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court to assign his cases before His Lordship Honourable M. N. Yunusa in furtherance of the understanding between the Applicant and the particular judge.

‎”I also know that investigations has revealed that even the junior counsel in the law firm of the applicant also engaged in the corrupt practices of their boss by manipulating the Federal High Court Registry to fix and assign cases filed by them to particular judges. Attached and marked Exhibit ‘P’ herewith are text messages on the assignment of the applicant’s firm’s cases to Justice Yunusa’s court.”

Igbinedion angle

The EFCC also revealed how Tarfa facilitated a bribe of N8m between Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and the chief judge of the federal high court.

“That I know as a fact that inspite of the Applicant’s knowledge of Rule 3(f)(j) of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers which stipulates 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 Applicant did not advise his client not to donate the said sum of N8 million to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. Now shown to me and marked Exhibit ‘Q’ is Thisday edition of 3rd May 2015 capturing the proceedings of the launching including role of the Applicant.

“That I know as a fact that the Applicant’s client, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion made the donation of N8m in the referred occasion to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court inspite of knowledge by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion that his son Michael Igbinedion who had been convicted was awaiting the sentence of the Federal High Court in criminal proceedings pending against Chief Gabriel Igbinedion’s son (Chief Michael Igbinedion) before the Federal High Court.

“That I know as a fact that a few hours after the donation of the said sum of N8 million to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court by the Applicant’s client, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion’s convicted son was sentenced to a year imprisonment or N1 million through a questionable plea bargain which was condemned by all right thinking Nigerians.”

The Nigerian judiciary has long been held up as the poster boy for corruption, sleaze and dirty dealings. One of president Muhammadu Buhari’s biggest challenges as he cracks down on high level corruption will be a reform and clean-up of the nation’s judiciary, analysts have said.

Only recently, supreme court justices came under scathing criticism from the populace for handing out electoral victories to persons who allegedly stole votes during election season.