Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in
Ikoyi,Lagos, on Thursday, granted a Nigerian artiste, Azeez
Adeshina Fashola, also known as Naira Marley bail.
At the resumed bail application, his lead defense counsel,
Olalekan Ojo, apologized for his absence at the initial arraignment
on May 20, 2019, due to heavy down poor.
Ojo urged the court to accept the bail application based on the
presumption of his innocence in accordance with Section 162
(1).
The defense also pleaded that a liberal approach is taken in
hearing the bail application.
The prosecution counsel, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, however, argued
that it is not the temporary release of the singer that mattered,
but the final judgment.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant accelerated hearing
rather than bail.
He added that since the lawyer of the defendant said the
defendant is a celebrity, then, his actions and inactions have a
multiplier effect on youths in the entire federation.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo, who presided over the bail hearing
after listening to the defense and prosecution arguments, granted
the singer bail to the sum of two million naira with two
sureties.
The trial has been adjourned to 22, 23 and 24 of October for
accelerated hearing.
The defendant was arrested on May 10, 2019, following
intelligence report received by the Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) about his alleged involvement in internet
fraud.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka
Naira Marley, and Yad isril (still at large), on or about the 26th
day of November, 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable
court, conspired amongst yourself to use Access bank card no:
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 Cybercrime Prohibition, Prevention etc.
Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred
against him.
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