Fraud: Court Adjourns Naira Marley’s Trial

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented more evidence against Nigerian singer, Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley, at the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

This is as the court also dismissed the defendant’s objection to the forensic evidence initially presented by the witness.

The trial of the singer continued on Friday before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

At the resumed hearing on Friday, the prosecuting witness, Dein Whyte, an operative of the EFCC continued the presentation of evidence against the singer.

Naira Marley is standing trial on an 11-count charge that centers on credit card fraud brought against him by the EFCC.

A statement issued by the anti-graft agency read, “At the last sitting on June 9, 2022, the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo SAN, had objected to the witness’s opinion on the forensic evidence linking the defendant to credit card fraud.

“He had argued that only the court could make pronouncements on the defendant’s culpability, not an investigator”.

“At the resumed trial today, Justice Oweibo delivered a short ruling in which he dismissed the defence’s objection;

“It is the duty of the law enforcement agency or police, to charge a person to court to investigate if the defendant committed the crime or not. The investigator must be able to link the defendant to the commission of the crime.

“The prosecutor must have made up his mind as to the involvement of the defendant before bringing the case to court. I do not agree that the prosecution has declared the defendant guilty,” the judge ruled.