Judge Orders Service Of IPOs' Statements On Naira Marley

Naira Marley (middle)

Justice Nicholas Oweibo has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to serve investigators’ statements on musician, Azeez Fashola, alias Naira Marley, who is being prosecuted on cybercrime and credit card fraud charges.

The judge made the order on Tuesday following an application by Naira Marley’s lawyer, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN).

As a result of Ojo’s request and the judge’s order, Naira Marley’s trial, which was scheduled to open on Tuesday, was further adjourned till Wednesday (today).

The up-and-coming musician was arraigned on 11 counts, bordering on credit card fraud and cybercrime in May.

The EFCC alleged that Naira Marley conspired with one Yad Isril and Raze, said to be at large, to use access cards with numbers 5264711020433662 and 42658840359191132, “issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain.”

It also alleged that Naira Marley was on May 10, 2019 found in possession of two counterfeit access cards Nos. 4539782440624281 and 492189410257431 issued in the names of Nicole Louise Malyon and Timea Fedorne Tatar, respectively.

The anti-graft agency said the artiste retained the two cards and another one with number 5264711020433662, issued to an unknown person “under circumstances which constitute card theft.”

The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that Naira Marley acted contrary to Section 27 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015.

He said the musician was liable to be punished under sections 33(9) and 34 of the same Act.

But Naira Marley has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was granted bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties by the judge.