The criminal trial of Nigerian singer Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, was stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday, following a pending application for fiat before the Chief Judge of the court.

The trial judge, Isaac Dipeolu, was informed by the prosecutor, Bilikisu Buhari, that an application for fiat to enable the former judge to continue overseeing the trial of the defendant was awaiting the approval of the Chief Judge.

She said that the application is dated 8 December 2023.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Naira Marley on cybercrime charges.

The anti-graft agency filed the charges on 14 May 2019.

Naira Marley, the “Am I a yahoo boy” crooner, pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment before a judge, Nicholas Oweibo, on 20 May 2019.

Mr Oweibo granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N2 million, with two sureties in like sum.

The trial has since commenced in the case and witnesses were still being called when Mr Oweibo transferred out of the Lagos division of the court.

The case was subsequently transferred to a new judge, Mr Dipeolu.

Adjournment

When the case was called for the first time before Mr Dipeolu, Mrs Buhari appeared for the prosecution while V.C Maduagwu, appeared for the defendant.

The defence counsel confirmed that the Chief Judge’s approval of the fiat to enable the former judge to continue with the trial was being awaited, as earlier stated by the prosecutor.

The court then adjourned the case until 30 May for the report.

Charges

According to the EFCC, the defendant committed the alleged cybercrime offences on different dates between 26 November 2018 and 11 December 2018, as well as 10 May 2019.

The commission alleged that Naira Marley and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM cards to defraud their victims.

It alleged that the defendant used a bank credit card issued to another person, in a bid to obtain fraudulent financial gains.

The EFCC also said that the defendant possessed counterfeit credit cards belonging to different people, with intent to defraud which amounted to theft.

The alleged offences contravene the provisions of Sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.