A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday adjourned until December 11 and December 12 the continuation of trial of Nigerian rapper, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, facing credit card fraud charges.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Marley with 11 counts bordering on conspiracy, possession of counterfeit Credit Cards, and Fraud.
Also mentioned in the charge is one Yad Isril, who is said to still be at large.
The Popular “Soapy” singer was arraigned on May 20 before Justice Nicholas Oweibo but he denied the charges.
Following a bail application by defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, (SAN), the court had granted Fashola bail in the sum of N2m with sureties in like sum.
On Thursday, Justice Nicholas Oweibo adjourned the case shortly after defence counsel Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN) had begun the cross-examination of the first prosecution’s witness who began his evidence yesterday.
The court was, however, constrained to move the trial to a further date, after some arguments erupted in court, between counsel in suit following insufficient seating arrangement.
The courtroom has few available seats which are always insufficient to accommodate both lawyers and litigants.
A good number lawyers, litigants and even journalists are often forced to stand up in the courtroom throughout proceedings, due to unavailability of seats.
The trial will now continue on the next date.
At the last adjourned date on Oct. 23 (yesterday), the first prosecution witness, Mr Nuru Buhari, had given evidence as to the manner of information extracted from the iPhone and Laptop of the defendant.
Led by the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness had chronicled the various sites visited with the defendant’s electronic gadgets, as well as the various credit card operations conducted.
According to the charge, the defendant allegedly committed the offences on different dates between Nov. 26, 2018, Dec.11, 2018, and May 10,
The charge alleges that Fashola and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM Cards to defraud their victims.
It said that the defendant allegedly used Access Card number 5264711020433662 issued to other persons, in a bid to obtain fraudulent financial gains.
He was said to have possessed these counterfeit credit cards, belonging to different cardholders, with intent to defraud, which also amounted to theft.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1}, 33, 33(9) Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.
