Court orders Tarfa to pay EFCC, Falana as he withdraws N5bn suit

In what appears a curious twist, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ricky Tarfa, was Wednesday ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to pay punitive cost of N10, 000 each to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), MTN Nigeria Communications Limited and activist-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) after he withdrew the N5bn billion suit he instituted against them.

Tarfa, through a lawyer from his chambers, O. Oladele, moved an ex parte application for the discontinuation of the case, giving no reason for the withdrawal.

Reacting to the application, EFCC lawyers, Mr. Wahab Shittu and Rotimi Oyedepo, did not oppose the withdrawal but urged the court to award punitive cost against the applicant.

Read also: Ricky Tarfa on counter attack, sues EFCC, MTN, Falana for N5bn

“My Lord, we have no objection to the discontinuance of the suit but we want the court to award a punitive cost against the applicant. Our names have been flying around in the major newspapers since yesterday,” Shittu said.

Oladele however countered the EFCC lawyers, contending that they have no right of reply, as the application is an ex parte one and that there was no basis for cost since they have not been served with the suit.

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