‘Parading, handcuffing Seun Kuti illegal’ — lawyer tackles police

Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says parading and handcuffing Seun Kuti, the Afrobeat singer, by the police is “illegal”.

Kuti was arrested on Monday for assaulting a police officer. He is currently being detained at the state criminal investigation Department (SCID) popularly known as Panti.

In now-viral video clips, the musician was seen in handcuffs while he was paraded by police officers at the SCID.

Reacting in a statement, Olumide-Fusika, who is Kuti’s lawyer, said he accompanied the singer to the Ikeja police station but his client was not interrogated at the station “as it was decided he would be moved to the SCID.”

The lawyer also kicked against “the decision of the police to subject him to the media parade”.

“Before his movement, Mr. Seun Kuti, was handcuffed and his photograph taken in the open by the Lagos PPRO, Mr. Benjamin Hundeyin who coordinated the parade and apparently shared the photograph of his parade in the media,” Olumide-Fusika said.

“Mr. Kuti is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State. Therefore, the decision of the police to subject him to the media parade violates section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which has prohibited any form of parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State.

“The Police are supposed to enforce the Law but prefer to disrespect and break it so casually and randomly. A Police institution that has no respect for the law it exists to enforce is not a good example to alleged lawbreakers.

“The decision of the Police to handcuff Mr. Kuti is equally illegal as it constitutes a violation of Section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

“After handcuffing him, the Police then drove him in a long convoy of heavily armed personnel from Ikeja to Panti Lagos, where he was again displayed for viewing to the men and officers of that police formation, and is currently held.

“We await the next move of the Police on the misdemeanor alleged against Mr. Seun Kuti.”