A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Wednesday heard that an
account into which Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Rickey Tarfa
deposited N225,000, belongs to a lawyer and not Justice Mohammed
Nasir Yinusa.
Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Mohammed Auwal Yinusa, told Justice
Adedayo Akintoye that he was shocked to read in the newspapers that
his Access Bank account number was quoted as belonging to the
judge.
Yinusa, Tarfa’s former employee between 2011 and 2014, testified
as the second defence witness in the SAN’s trial for alleged
gratification.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned
Tarfa on March 10, 2016 on a 27-count charge which was subsequently
amended to 26 counts.
He was accused of alleged willful obstruction of EFCC officials,
refusal to declare assets and giving false information to a public
officer, by lying about his age.
According to the EFCC, the Silk paid N225,000 in 2014 into an
Access Bank account it said belonged to Federal High Court judge,
Justice Yinusa.
The agency also alleged, among others, that Tarfa offered N5.3
million as gratification to Justice hyeladzira Nganjiwa in order to
compromise the judge.
It claimed that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches
between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014.
Tarfa pleaded not guilty.
On March 13, Justice Akintoye summoned Tarfa’s witnesses so he
could open his defence.
This followed the dismissal of his no-case submission last
February 9.
At the commencement of proceedings yesterday, Tarfa’s counsel,
Mr Abiodun Owonikoko SAN, led Yinusa in Examination-in-Chief.
Yinusa said he left Tarfa’s employ in 2014 for further studies
abroad, following which the SAN gifted him N225,000 to support his
education.
He explained that he is the owner of the Access Bank account
into which the N225,000 which the EFCC claimed that Tarfa bribed a
judge with, was paid, and not Justice Yinusa.
Yinusa said: “I found that my Access Bank account was quoted in
that publication. I was in a state of shock.”
He added that he rushed to his bank and obtained a certified
true copy of his statement of account, which showed that it was
indeed his account that was quoted by the EFCC.
Yinusa said: “I was shocked, my Lord, because I am not a judge,
I never received gratification from the defendant. My name is
Mohammed Auwal Yinusa. The judge’s name is Mohammed Nasir Yinusa. I
am not related to him. He is from Yobe State; I am Igalla from Kogi
State. Untill recently when I saw him on television, I had never
set my eyes on him.”
Under cross examination by prosecution counsel Mr Rotimi
Oyedepo, Yinusa said other payments the Silk allegedly made to any
other judge, were were not made through his bank account.
Justice Akintoye adjourned till today for re-examination of the
witness.
Earlier, Yinusa’s relationship officer from Access Bank, Abisola
Olutade, testified as the first defence witness.
Her testimony was preceded by a National Judicial Council staff,
Olufolake Saleh Ahmed, who tendered a Certified True Copy (CTC) of
the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers and a revised Code of
Conduct for Judicial Officers of Nigeria.
A Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Wednesday heard that an
account into which Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr Rickey Tarfa
deposited N225,000, belongs to a lawyer and not Justice Mohammed
Nasir Yinusa.
Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Mohammed Auwal Yinusa, told Justice
Adedayo Akintoye that he was shocked to read in the newspapers that
his Access Bank account number was quoted as belonging to the
judge.
Yinusa, Tarfa’s former employee between 2011 and 2014, testified
as the second defence witness in the SAN’s trial for alleged
gratification.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned
Tarfa on March 10, 2016 on a 27-count charge which was subsequently
amended to 26 counts.
He was accused of alleged willful obstruction of EFCC officials,
refusal to declare assets and giving false information to a public
officer, by lying about his age.
According to the EFCC, the Silk paid N225,000 in 2014 into an
Access Bank account it said belonged to Federal High Court judge,
Justice Yinusa.
The agency also alleged, among others, that Tarfa offered N5.3
million as gratification to Justice hyeladzira Nganjiwa in order to
compromise the judge.
It claimed that Tarfa transferred the money in several tranches
between June 27, 2012 and December 23, 2014.
Tarfa pleaded not guilty.
On March 13, Justice Akintoye summoned Tarfa’s witnesses so he
could open his defence.
This followed the dismissal of his no-case submission last
February 9.
At the commencement of proceedings yesterday, Tarfa’s counsel,
Mr Abiodun Owonikoko SAN, led Yinusa in Examination-in-Chief.
Yinusa said he left Tarfa’s employ in 2014 for further studies
abroad, following which the SAN gifted him N225,000 to support his
education.
He explained that he is the owner of the Access Bank account
into which the N225,000 which the EFCC claimed that Tarfa bribed a
judge with, was paid, and not Justice Yinusa.
Yinusa said: “I found that my Access Bank account was quoted in
that publication. I was in a state of shock.”
He added that he rushed to his bank and obtained a certified
true copy of his statement of account, which showed that it was
indeed his account that was quoted by the EFCC.
Yinusa said: “I was shocked, my Lord, because I am not a judge,
I never received gratification from the defendant. My name is
Mohammed Auwal Yinusa. The judge’s name is Mohammed Nasir Yinusa. I
am not related to him. He is from Yobe State; I am Igalla from Kogi
State. Untill recently when I saw him on television, I had never
set my eyes on him.”
Under cross examination by prosecution counsel Mr Rotimi
Oyedepo, Yinusa said other payments the Silk allegedly made to any
other judge, were were not made through his bank account.
Justice Akintoye adjourned till today for re-examination of the
witness.
Earlier, Yinusa’s relationship officer from Access Bank, Abisola
Olutade, testified as the first defence witness.
Her testimony was preceded by a National Judicial Council staff,
Olufolake Saleh Ahmed, who tendered a Certified True Copy (CTC) of
the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers and a revised Code of
Conduct for Judicial Officers of Nigeria.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/alleged-bribery-judges-bank-account-is-mine-says-tarfas-witness/