Nigerian 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.