Afrobeats singer, Seun Kuti, has been remanded in Police custody for 48 hours after which he has to be granted bail for assaulting a Police officer.
Kuti, in a 12-second video clip that went viral on 13 May 2023, had assaulted a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.
The defendant turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, on Monday, 15 May, following an order for his arrest by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.
He was later transferred to the State’s Criminal Investigation Department, Panti and was, on Tuesday, 16 May, arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court for assault on a Police Officer, an offence contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.
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The prosecution, led by S. A Adebese and Morufu Animashaun, prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
However, Kuti’s counsel, led by Femi Falana, SAN, prayed the court not to remand his client, stating that they (the counsel) were unaware of the remand application.
After listening to both parties, the magistrate requested five minutes of recess, stating that she needed to deliberate on her own.
She, however, handed her phone to the registrar to avoid calls from both parties.
When the court resumed sitting, Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun reading out her ruling, said she would not rely on Police investigation; hence she remanded the defendant for 48 hours in Police custody.
She said: “Court has decided to override any public opinion and pass the judgment of the court.
READ ALSO: Police Ask Court To Detain Seun Kuti For 21 Days, Claim ‘Assaulted’ Officer Is In Coma
“Following the remand application presented before the court, I am advising that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Directorate of public prosecutions within 72 hours.
“The defendant is hereby remanded for 48 hours in police custody to allow the police to conclude their investigation.
“After 48 hours, the defendant will be granted bail in the sum of N1m with two responsible sureties, a three years tax payment receipt that is verifiable; one of the sureties must have a landed property within the court jurisdiction.”
She adjourned the case to 23 May 2023 for mention.
