Akin Kuponiyi
Justice Nicholas Oweibo presiding over a Federal High Court in Lagos south West Nigeria today ordered that the trial of a popular musician, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, cannot commence. This is on the ground that the defence counsel, led by Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN, has filed an application before the court urging the court to compel EFCC to furnish him additional documents
As at the time of filing this report, argument is still ranging between Mr Olalekan Ojo and EFCC prosecutor, Barrister Rotimi Oyedepo, as to the documents required by the defence and the ones to be produce by the prosecution.
Azeez Fashola was arraigned before the court sometimes last May
In the charge filed before the court by the EFCC, it was alleged that Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, “within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst themselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than him in a bid to obtain gain and 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.”
It was also alleged that Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), that on or about the 10th day of May 2019, “within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to oneyTimea Fedorne Tatar and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”