Alleged car theft: Naira Marley moves to settle out-of-court before Jan 14

The Nigerian popular hip hop enfant terrible, Adeyemi Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, is said to have gone into negotiation with a view to resolving the alleged car theft matter out-of-court following  alleged car theft case filed against him and three others by the Police.

Recall that Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos had given him an ultimatum to appear before it on January 14, 2020 having failed to honour the court date.

According to The Nation, talks between Marley’s lawyer and lawyers representing the complainant in the case, Mr Adelekan Ademola, are at an advanced stage.

If successful, the charges against the four defendants may be dropped at the next hearing of the case on January 14.

Marley’s two brothers Idris Fashola, 18; Babatunde Fashola, 24; and their cousin, Kunle Obere, 22, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, assault and obstructing the police from arresting Marley.

They were arraigned by the Police on December 16, before Chief Magistrate Tajudeen Elias of a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, but Marley, the fourth defendant, was The court granted the trio N500,000 bail each with two sureties in the like sum.

Chief Magistrate Elias ordered the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) to produce Marley in court on December 31, 2019 so he can take his plea.

Following failure to appear, pleas for another chance by his counsel, Mr Awokulehin Ayodeji was considered after Mr Elias threatened to order the artiste’s arrest if he didn’t show up on the next adjourned date of January 14.

According to the report, Mr Ayodeji said settlement talks were ongoing.

“We hope that an agreement will be reached before the next adjourned date,” he said.
According to the lawyer, the Police were not against a peaceful resolution of the matter.
Ayodeji said: “The police have no problem with an out of court settlement.”

At the their arraignment on December 16, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Edet Okoi told the court that the defendants committed the offence on December 15, at Eko Hotel Roundabout, Victoria Island, Lagos.