A federal high court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police, to release the detained singer Speed Darlington within 48 hours.
According to NAN, Musa Liman, the judge, gave the order in a ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by David Ihuoma, the singer’s counsel.
Liman ordered the police chief to charge Darlington to court or release him on bail unconditionally within 48 hours.
The judge adjourned the matter until January 6 for the hearing of the substantive case.
The 39-year-old rapper was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo state.
Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, had alleged that Burna Boy, the Afrofusion star, was responsible for the rapper’s arrest.
Darlington had taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
He asked Burna Boy to explain how he won the Grammy award for his album ‘Twice As Tall’ — a project executive produced by Diddy. He claimed there was a sexual relationship between the duo.
In the ex-parte motion dated and filed on December 13 by his lawyers led by Adeyanju, Egbetokun was the sole respondent.
The lawyers sought “an order directing the applicant’s release from the detention facility of the Force Intelligence Bureau at the Force Headquarters or any other facility where he is being kept by the respondent, pending the determination of the substantive originating motion on notice”.
Stan Alieke, another legal representative of Darlington, on Monday, also revealed that the rapper had been granted bail.
It however remains to be seen if he has been released from police custody.
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