Alleged Cyber Fraud: Court Grants Naira Marley Bail, Fixes October 22 For Trial
Controversial Musician, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley was on Thursday granted bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum by Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos .
Justice Oweibo, while ruling on the bail application filed by the musician, held that one of the surety must be a public servant not less than grade level ten in the Federal or State Civil Service.
The court further stated that the other surety must have a landed properly within the courts jurisdiction which must be verified by the court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Naira Marley before the court on an 11 count charge of conspiracy and fraud.
Naira Marley pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He risks seven years in jail if found guilty in accordance with Section 33 (2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.
Some of the credit cards, according to the anti-graft agency, bore Nicole Louise Malyon, and Timea Fedorne Tatar.
The alleged crimes were in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the Cyber Crimes Act.
The court fixed has fixed October 22 for the commencement of trial.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Yard Isril (still at large), on or about the 26th day of November 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use access card 5264711020433662 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence 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.
Another of the counts read: “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 honourable court, with intent to defraud possessed counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea FedorneTatar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”
The singer, who was arrested and detained by the EFCC on May 10, is controversial for repeatedly praising internet fraudsters, popularly called Yahoo boys, in his songs and on social media.
Naira Marley was arrested alongside his friend and fellow musician, Zlatan Ibile who was released last Wednesday.
Tiamiu Kayode, Adewunmi Moses and Abubakar Musa, his crew members, were later released.