The police have filed one count of car theft against a musician, Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, also known as Iyanya, before the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere.
In the charge sheet marked, LD/9024C/2019, the musician was accused of the conversion of a vehicle to his own.
The police alleged that Iyanya “dishonestly converted to your own use or use of another person a black Toyota Landcruiser Prado Jeep with Chassis Number: JTEBX7FJ7EK165480, Engine Number: 2TRI385954 and Registration Number: MAVINIY, property of The Temple Management Company Limited, represented by one Ayodeji Olomojobi, Esq.”
In the charge sheet signed by Chukwu Agwu, the police claimed that Iyanya committed the offence “sometime in September 2018 in Lagos State.”
The offence, according to the police, was contrary to sections 278(1)(b), and 279(1)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, and punishable under Section 285(10) of the same law.
Upon his arraignment before Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile, the musician pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released to his lawyer, A. Williams, who undertook to produce him in court for his trial.
The court adjourned till February 27 to rule on the defendant’s bail application.
It would be recalled that when in 2016, Iyanya left Ubi Franklin’s MMMG in a not-too-pleasant manner, after months of speculation about his future, he announced in October of that year he has joined Don Jazzy’s label, Mavin Records.
The new relationship was solidified with the release of a new song featuring Don Jazzy and Dr. Sid.
The new hit tune entitled “Up 2 Sumting” is produced by Don Jazzy and released on the day coincided with the singer’s 30th birthday.
A year into the deal, rumours were rife that Iyanya and Mavin Records are parting ways and the long-speculated exit was confirmed early 2018 when Iyanya told Lagos urban radio, Beat FM that he had moved on and now with Temple Music.
Sadly, while industry watchers are yet to come to terms with his sudden exit from Mavin Records, the buzz in town few months thereafter was that the singer was already having a running battle with his new record label, Temple Music. And that was confirmed later in same 2018 and since then, Iyanya’s music career has steadily been on a downward spiral, even as he has been deserted by corporate brands that once embraced him.
And now to compound the ‘Kukere’ crooner’s woes, the Temple Management Company has dragged him to court for allegedly stealing their property.
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