For slapping police officer, court remands Seun Kuti for 48 hours

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos State, on Tuesday, May 16, remanded Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, for allegedly assaulting a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

The Chief Magistrate, Adeola Olatubosun, declared that Kuti should be remanded for 48 hours in police custody.

She, however, held that the defendant should be admitted to bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum, at the end of the 48-hour remand.

The Magistrate declared that one of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.

Olatubosun, who adjourned the case until May 22 for mention, directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice.

Earlier, the investigating police officer, Lekan Ogundare, told the court that the singer committed the offence on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge.

READ ALSO: Assault: Seun Kuti submits self to police, places under arrest

Ogundare said Kuti drove dangerously on the bridge and deliberately blocked a moving police vehicle.

He alleged that the defendant grabbed Inspector Mohammed Aminu attached to the Police Training College, Ikeja, while on official movement and in police uniform.

Ogundare said the famous singer slapped Aminu several times on his face.

A legal officer of the police, S. A. Adebeshin, had applied to the court to remand Kuti for  21 days to enable further investigation on the case.

His application was supported by a 12-paragraph affidavit.

Responding, the counsel for the singer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, said he was not aware of the application for the defendant’s remand.

He requested time to respond to the application.

Reacting, a member of police legal team, M. A. Animashaun, stated that there should be temporary deprivation of liberty of the defendant for purposes of investigation, adding that Kuti’s alleged victim has been on medical treatment.

However, Olumide-Fusika said Seun Kuti handed himself over to the police and should not be remanded on such grounds.

He prayed the court to grant Kuti bail, promising that the defendant would show up whenever needed.

The Star