The Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command has petitioned the court for a remand order to detain Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, for 21 days following a secret arraignment at the Yaba Magistrate Court without notifying his lawyers, SaharaReporters reveal.
The police prosecutors alleged at the court that the assaulted policeman was in a coma, receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
“The Chief Magistrate Mrs, Adeola Olatunbosun Magistrate Court 1 Yaba took statement from the Nigerian police applying to detain Seun Kuti for 21 days, claiming the policeman he allegedly assaulted is in a coma at an undisclosed hospital.” – Witness
A recess was announced by the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatunbosun, as she needed time to “study the file”.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Kuti informed the police personnel in Yaba, Lagos State that he would not volunteer any statement since the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin, had already concluded his investigation and disseminated the same report in the media.
In an update on Tuesday morning, Kuti, via his lawyer, Olumide-Fusika, SAN, stated that he would “at the right time and place” defend himself against Hundeyin’s published “investigative findings.”
“They also accused Seun of not writing a statement, but Olumide-Fusika countered that he was there when Seun wrote a statement. The Chief Magistrate decided to go on recess to ‘study the file.'” – Witness
The police at the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, previously refused to grant Seun Kuti bail after an unsuccessful attempt to induce him into writing a statement that would incriminate him in the case of an alleged assault on a police officer.
SaharaReporters had reported that Kuti, the son of Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti, was arrested and handcuffed on Monday during his visit to the state police command. Despite his commitment to cooperate with the police by turning himself in to assist with the investigation into the allegation that he assaulted a policeman, Kuti was detained and moved to SCIID, Panti for questioning.
Further reports revealed that the police transformed Seun Kuti’s visit, accompanied by his lawyer, Olumide-Fusika, into a public spectacle, with hundreds of officers taunting and mocking him as he walked by.
As tension escalates, the Afrobeat community, fans, and Kuti’s family anxiously await the next developments in this high-profile case.
