Police Arraign Seun Kuti For Assault In Lagos Court

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun of a Magistrate’s court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State.

The defendant was charged with assault on a police officer, an offense contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.

The police prosecutor, S. A Adebese, prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

However, the counsel led by Femi Falana, SAN, begged the court to not remand his client, stating that he was not aware of the remand application.

Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti has been granted bail by the Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos.

The court’s decision also includes an order for the Nigerian police to complete their investigation into the alleged assault of a policeman within 48 hours, allowing Kuti to return home.

“The court has granted the police a 48-hour window to finalise their investigations, after which Kuti can be released on bail. Two sureties, who must possess landed property in Lagos, have been required for his bail,” a witness said.

Furthermore, it has been revealed that the Chief Magistrate has instructed the police to step back from prosecuting Kuti, 

Instead, she has directed that the case file be duplicated and forwarded to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions for further legal proceedings.

On Monday night, the police at the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, reportedly refused to grant Seun Kuti bail after their futile attempt to trick him into writing a statement that would implicate him in the case of an alleged assault on a police officer.

The police claimed they were yet to conclude their investigation, rejecting the lawyer’s request to grant the musician bail.

The situation escalated when a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, one of the lawyers defending Seun, called the police commissioner to complain about the unruly behaviour of the officers, treatment of his client, and prevention of Olumide-Fusika from being present during the musician’s interrogation.

It was also learnt that the police officers at the facility continued to be hostile to Seun, his lawyers, and his family members.