The trial of Nigerian singer Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, hit a roadblock at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The trial could not proceed as planned due to a pending application for fiat before the Chief Judge of the court. The prosecutor, Mrs. Bilikisu Buhari, informed the trial judge, Justice Isaac Dipeolu, about the application awaiting approval, which was dated December 8, 2023.
Naira Marley is facing charges related to cybercrime, brought forth by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 14, 2019. Despite pleading not guilty, he was granted bail by Justice Nicholas Oweibo and the trial had commenced. However, due to Justice Oweibo’s transfer, the case was reassigned to Justice Dipeolu.
During the recent court appearance, both the prosecution and defense acknowledged the pending application for fiat, leading to an adjournment of the case until May 30. The EFCC alleges that Naira Marley and his accomplices engaged in fraudulent activities using Access Bank ATM cards between November 26, 2018, and December 11, 2018, as well as May 10, 2019.
The charges against Naira Marley include conspiracy to defraud victims using bank credit cards issued to others and possession of counterfeit credit cards with the intent to defraud. These alleged offenses are in violation of the Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015. The case will continue to unfold as the legal proceedings progress.
