By Innocent Anaba

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, upheld the argument of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that the facts in the N2.5billion fundamental human rights enforcement suit file by Lagos lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Rickey Tarfa, were the same in the charge of obstruction of justice bribing a judge filed against before a Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, were the same.

Rickey Tarfa

Trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris consequently stayed further proceedings suit he filed pending when the charge against Tarfa before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of the Lagos State Court would have been disposed of.

Justice Idris noted that even though, there was no law that forbids the hearing of both civil and criminal matters together, a court retains discretion to stay civil proceedings during the pendency of criminal proceedings.

Justice Idris had earlier in the ruling dismissed the EFCC’s objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.

The judge disagreed with the anti-graft agency that by the circumstances of the arraignment of the applicant at the Lagos High Court, the relief sought in the fundamental rights enforcement suit have become academic.

In the substantive suit, Tarfa is asking the court to compel the anti-graft agency and his acting Chairman, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu to pay him N2.5billion.

Joined as defendants were the Commission’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, the EFCC operatives that arrested him, Moses Awolusi, and the Deputy Director Operations, EFCC, Lagos office, Iliyasu Kwarbai.