Dein Whyte, the 10th prosecution witness in the trial of Nigerian singer Naira Marley for internet fraud, disclosed to Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, that the musician’s credit card had been flagged for fraudulent activity.

Whyte, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), outlined how a credit card linked to Naira Marley was flagged by Visa due to fraudulent transactions. The EFCC corroborated this information in a statement, revealing that Naira Marley faces 11-count charges, including conspiracy and credit card fraud.

“Forensic analysis uncovered malicious programs on the device belonging to the defendant,” Whyte stated. “These programs illegally obtained credit card information for non-present transactions.” He further detailed the tools discovered on the device, which were used for verifying credit card authenticity, disguising location, and accessing websites trading illegal credit card data.

Noting that the defendant’s phone and laptop were registered under his credentials, Whyte confirmed that the investigation revealed the defendant had exchanged these card details with others. Visa reported one of the cards as fraudulently used, emphasizing that these cards were neither issued to nor belonged to the defendant.

Under cross-examination, Whyte informed the court that an investigation letter was sent to Visa, confirming the card’s flagging due to fraudulent activity. However, Visa didn’t directly link the credit card fraud to the defendant’s device, focusing on the card itself rather than the device used for the fraudulent transactions. Justice Oweibo adjourned the case to March 6 and 7, 2024, for further trial proceedings.