Alleged Cybercrime: EFCC’s Suit Against Naira Marley Suffers Setback

By Babatunde Solanke

The trial of famous singer, Azeez Fashola, popularly addressed as  Naira Marley, suffered hitch before a Federal High Court Lagos on Wednesday, following a pending application for fiat before the Chief Judge of the court.

The prosecutor, Mrs Bilikisu Buhari, informed the trial judge, Justice Isaac Dipeolu, that an application for fiat to enable the former judge continue with trial of the defendant, is already awaiting approval by the CJ of the court.

She said that the application is dated December 8, 2023.

The criminal trial of Nigerian singer Azeez Fashola, a.k.a Naira Marley, could not

Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), is prosecuting Naira Marley on charges bordering on cyber crime.

The anti-graft agency preferred the charges on May 14, 2019.

Fashola, who sang the popular song: “Am I a yahoo boy”, was arraigned on May 20, 2019 before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, but he had pleaded not guilty.

Justice Oweibo had accordingly, granted him bail in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties in like sum.

Trial has since commenced in the case and witnesses were still being led in evidence, but Justice Oweibo, was later transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.

The case was, therefore, transferred to a new judge, Dipeolu.

When the case was called for the first time before Justice Dipeolu, Buhari appeared for the prosecution while Mr V.C Maduagwu, appeared for the defendant.

Defence counsel also confirmed the position as stated by the prosecutor to the court.

Following information of the pending application for fiat as brought to the attention of the new judge by counsel, the court adjourned the case until May 30 for report.

The EFCC said the defendant committed the offences on different dates between November 26, 2018 and December 11, 2018, as well as May 10, 2019.

The commission alleged that Fashola and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM cards to defraud their victims.

According to the anti-graft agency, the offenses contravene the provisions of Sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.