Entertainment
Forensic Expert Testifies Against Naira Marley, Says Stolen Credit Card Information Was Retrieved
Trial of the pioneer of AfroBashment, Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley, on an 11-count charge of conspiracy, possession of counterfeit cards and fraud, commenced on Wednesday at the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos with the testimony of the first prosecution witness, Nuru Buhari.
Mr. Buhari introduced himself as the Head of the Forensic Department at the Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Buhari also informed that he had, on various occasions, trained and mentored with the South Korean police department and the FBI respectively.
In his testimony before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, the forensic expert testified that various stolen credit cards information was retrieved from the musicians’ laptop. Apart from the stolen credit cards information, website visit history recovered from the device showed that the top five most visited sites dealt with buying and selling stolen credit card information
According to him, “during analysis, the cache file and history file revealed that the most frequently visited sites by the user of the computer include arder007.org, Zuni.sa, nationwidecheckbalance.co.uk, ferunshop.net, and cocoa.co.uk.
“Analysis of the websites revealed that web 1 is where stolen card information is being sold to intending fraudsters, web 2 is for stolen credit cards specifically for the UK, web 3 is an online website designed for UK cardholders to check their balance wherever they are around the world, web 4 is a dark web meaning an underground tunnel in the internet where stolen credit card information is sold and traded, web 5 is an online shopping mall where members are given discounts for shopping from certain shops. ”
In answer to questions from the EFCC Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness also told the court that stolen credit card information with a special status that allows transactions up-to $12,000 without a pin or physical card was found in a file named “select BIN 101.txt and .txt.”
“For the note file, two major files were discovered named .txt which contained about four credit card information belonging to four different personalities in the UK including one Nicole Louise. ”
“The second file is named selected BIN101.txt containing Bank Identification Number of European, American and Latin American banks.
“When we ran the BIN code search for the first six digits of the cards, it revealed they are Visa cards issued by Barclay’s bank, Sandander UK PLC.
“We identified that certain banks in the US, Europe, and Asia with certain peculiarities, these are banks that they issue credit cards without pins based on the high level of trust, they allow a transaction of up to $12,000 in a swipe on POS.
“Cards issued by those banks are card not required. All you need to execute a transaction is the card number and the CVV number. ”
Mr. Buhari further added that suspicious apps that are mostly used by people with shady deals on the internet were found on the laptop.
“We analysed installed apps on the laptop and we found two apps that enable the owner of the computer to decide the server of a bank as to his identity and location, IP VANISH and TOR browser.
“The TOR browser is sometimes called the onion. Most of the criminals cover their tracks with various layers just like an onion using this app to make it near impossible for a tracker to track their location.
“The IP VANISH is a virtual private network (VPN) which provides that the actual computer and location of usage cannot be identified. It also gives the user the ability to change their location. ”
Mr. Buhari disclosed that an analysis of the administrator account on the laptop revealed that the admin is one Naira Marley and the account was connected to his iCloud account.
The EFCC counsel has tendered in evidence, the request made by the commission for the analysis of the apple laptop mac book pro and an iPhone allegedly confiscated from the defendant. The court admitted them in evidence along with the forensic laboratory report which was prepared by Mr. Buhari, the witness.
Counsel to the defendant, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) has however asked the court for an adjournment.
The counsel told the court that most of the statements made by the witness was not contained in the witness statements made available to him by the prosecution and he was just hearing the evidence for the first time.
He, therefore, asked the court to grant the adjournment to enable him to closely review the testimony before cross-examining the witness.
Justice Oweibo has, however adjourned till tomorrow, 24th October for cross-examination of the witness.
Entertainment
Eight Stabbed, Hundreds Arrested at Notting Hill Carnival
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that eight people were stabbed and hundreds were arrested during last weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival, one of the world’s largest street festivals, held annually in west London.
In an update on their policing operation late Monday, the Met reported that five people were stabbed on the final day of the three-day celebration, which is internationally renowned for its vibrant display of British Afro-Caribbean culture.
This followed three other stabbings on Sunday. Three of the victims were left in life-threatening conditions.
Police made at least 230 arrests on Monday alone, including 49 for possession of an offensive weapon.
These arrests added to the scores of others made earlier in the weekend. In addition to the arrests, three firearms were seized, and 35 officers sustained injuries during the event, which attracts around a million attendees every August bank holiday weekend.
The number of arrests and incidents this year closely mirrors last year’s figures when there were 10 stabbings and approximately 300 arrests.
Despite the heavy police presence, with around 7,000 officers deployed, the carnival was once again marred by violence, particularly knife crime. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of revellers enjoyed the event without incident, filling the streets of Notting Hill with colour, music, and dancing.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Ade Adelekan expressed his frustration over the recurring violence, noting that a woman attending the carnival with her child was among those stabbed.
“We only very narrowly avoided a fatality,” he said, urging attendees to report any crimes they witness.
The Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of British Afro-Caribbean culture, has its roots in the 1950s, following the post-World War II influx of immigrants from former British colonies.
The annual event is known for its feathered dancers, steel bands, and earth-shaking sound systems, symbolizing the rich cultural heritage of the Afro-Caribbean community in the UK.
Entertainment
Portable Granted Bail After Night in Police Cell Over ₦14m Debt
The Lagos State Police Command has freed renowned street artist, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, following a night spent in police detention.
Portable was apprehended on Tuesday in Lagos’ Abule Egba vicinity for purportedly defaulting on the balance payment for a G-Wagon vehicle he had purchased from an auto dealer.
Reports suggest that although the ‘Zazoo Zeh’ maestro acquired the vehicle valued at ₦27 million, he only disbursed ₦13 million, leaving a ₦14 million outstanding balance.
In footage that went viral, Portable was observed scaling a gate as law enforcement officers approached him with an arrest warrant.
Subsequently, another video emerged depicting him being restrained, handcuffed, and conveyed by approximately four policemen into a waiting vehicle.
During the altercation, a female voice, purportedly that of the car dealer, was heard in the background, issuing profanities and recounting Portable’s alleged threats when confronted about settling the debt.
The Police spokesperson in the state, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that Portable was released on bail on Wednesday after spending Tuesday night in police custody.
He further disclosed that both Portable and the car dealer are expected to reconvene at a later date.
“He (Portable) has been released; he was granted bail on Wednesday to come back with the complainant later,” Hundeyin stated, stressing that “the outcome of that meeting will determine our next line of action.”
This incident marks not the first encounter between the singer and law enforcement.
In April 2023, Portable was detained by the police in Ogun State and arraigned on five charges related to alleged assault and theft at the Ifo Magistrate Court, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Subsequently, he was held at the Ilaro Correctional Centre before being released upon meeting bail conditions.
Entertainment
Autopsy Results Fail to Determine Cause of Mohbad’s Death
In a recent inquiry into the untimely demise of Nigerian musician, Ilerioluwa Aloba, better known as Mohbad, held at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. Sunday Osiyemi, a Forensic Scientist and Pathologist, revealed that the results of the autopsy conducted on the deceased failed to unveil the cause of death.
Speaking before Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi, who presided over the coroner’s inquiry, Prof. Osiyemi cited various factors contributing to the inconclusive findings, notably the significant decomposition of the body due to the extended delay of 21 days before the autopsy was performed.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, representing Mohbad’s family, emphasised that according to the pathologist, the body should have been exhumed within 12 hours post-burial to prevent decomposition, a critical factor in determining the cause of death.
Shittu further elucidated that the pathologist referenced the administration of certain drugs to Mohbad before his demise, suggesting a potential correlation between the drugs and the difficulties encountered in pinpointing the cause of death.
“He also went further to say that it may be attributed to reactions to certain drugs administered on him before he died. Again he then qualified that to say he does not know whether it is those drugs that actually led to his death,” Shittu stated.
With the cause of death remaining elusive, the coroner adjourned the proceedings to June 11th for further examination and cross-examination of the pathologist’s findings, signaling a continuation in the quest for answers surrounding Mohbad’s untimely passing.
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