igerian music sensation, Naira Marley (real name, Azeez Fashola) is
expected to appear in court today in Lagos for a trial on cybercrime
and credit card fraud.
He was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on May
10 alongside Zlatan Ibile (real name, Omomniyi Temidayo) and three
others for the alleged crimes.
According to some reports, the arrest was not unconnected to Naira
Marley’s songs and comments said to be glorifying cybercrime.
The charge sheet said, “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira
Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of
December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court,
conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132
issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you
thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber
Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under
Section 33(2) of the Same Act.
“That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still
at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the
jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud
possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea Fedorne
Tatar and you thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable
under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act
2015.”
When the matter came before Justice Nicolas Oweibo of a federal high
court in Lagos on May 20, Naira Marley’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, had
asked the court to grant the singer bail pending while the court would
hear the case.
The request was granted to the displeasure of the prosecution counsel
led by Rotimi Oyedepo who argued that there should be accelerated
hearing of the case instead of the bail.
The judge then fixed October 22, 23 and 24 as the trial dates.
