The trial of Nigerian singer Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, for internet fraud continued at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its 10th prosecution witness, Dein Whyte, an investigator with the anti-graft agency, who testified that the musician’s credit card was flagged for fraud by Visa, a card payment platform.
Whyte, who conducted a forensic analysis on the device recovered from Naira Marley upon his arrest, told the court that he found malicious programmes and tools used to illegally obtain and verify credit card information on the device. He also said that he discovered websites where credit card details are traded illegally on the defendant’s browser history.
According to Whyte, the credit card details found on Naira Marley’s device did not belong to him or were issued to him by any financial institution. He said that the defendant also exchanged those details with other persons. He added that one of the cards was reported to have been fraudulently used for a transaction by Visa, who confirmed this in a letter of investigation written to them by the EFCC.
Naira Marley is facing 11-count charges bordering on conspiracy and credit card fraud brought against him by the EFCC. The charges were read to him on May 20, 2019 and he pleaded not guilty. The trial judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, adjourned the case till X for continuation of trial.
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The defendant’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), cross-examined Whyte and asked him questions about the letter of investigation from Visa and the forensic report he prepared. He also asked him if he had any personal interaction with Naira Marley or any of his associates during the investigation. Whyte answered that he did not.