Seun Kuti spends 6th night in police custody ahead of ‘assault’ trial

Seun Kuti, the Afrobeats star, has spent his sixth night in Lagos police custody ahead of his trial on May 22.

Seun, the youngest son of Fela Kuti, the late Afrobeat legend, was apprehended last Monday after he was filmed assaulting a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge.

He was detained at the state criminal investigation Department (SCID) and arraigned before the state magistrate’s court in Yaba on Tuesday.

The police had sought to get an order to further keep him in custody for 21 days pending the conclusion of its investigation.

But Adeola Olatubosun, the chief magistrate of the court, directed the police to detain the musician for additional 48 hours and then release him on bail.

On Thursday, the magistrate extended Seun’s remand for additional four days to enable the police to continue with its investigation.

She also ordered that Seun’s file be duplicated and sent to the director of public prosecution (DPP) and subsequently adjourned the trial till May 22.

According to Nigerian laws, Kuti could face up to three years in prison if convicted.

LAWYERS ACCUSE POLICE OF FLOUTING COURT ORDER

Counsels to Seun on Friday accused the Lagos police of disobeying the court order by withholding the Afrobeat star’s case file.

The lawyers also called on Simon Asamber Lough, the Lagos state deputy commissioner of police, to send Seun’s case file to the DPP.

“I do hope that Lough as a lawyer, and indeed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, counseling the Police in this matter, will obey the order of the Magistrate Court to send the case file to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution for legal evaluation and possible charge and prosecution before a court of law,” they said in a statement.

Chris Okotie, the founder of the Household of God Church, also pleaded with the inspector-general of police (IGP) “to demonstrate a paternal clemency towards the singer”.