Rickey Tarfa Withdraws N5bn Suit, Ordered To Pay Punitive Costs to Respondents

FEDERAL High Court in Lagos yesterday struck out the N5bn fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Rickey Tarfa (SAN) against communication firm, MTN Nigeria Limited,  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and a human right activist, Femi Falana (SAN) and two others.

Justice Mohammed Idris struck out the suit following an application to discontinue the case against al the respondents by the applicant cum lawyer.

However, Tarfa did not disclose the ratio for his withdrawal of the suit; accordingly, the judge awarded a punitive cost of N50, 000 against him in favour of the five respondents.

The embattled lawyer had filed the suit challenging his arrest on February 5 by the operatives of the EFCC within the premises of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, where he allegedly hid two alleged suspects in his car to prevent their arrest.
Equally, the Mercedes Benz SUV with Registration No. KJA 700 CG, used for the alleged act was also confiscated by the EFCC.

Also prayed in the suit was a declaration that the seizure of his two mobile phones and unauthorized act of accessing his bank details, clients information, private and other confidential information contained in his mobile phone was a breach of his fundamental human rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In the originating motion on notice brought pursuant to section 37 of the constitution 1999 as amended, and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap 10, LFN,1990, the applicant sought the court for an order declaring that the actions carried out on the said date were unlawful, illegal and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.