48 hours after arrest, court grants Seun Kuti bail

Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti was Tuesday granted bail by the Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos state.

Giving his verdicts, the court also ordered police to finish their investigation into the alleged assault of a policeman within 48 hours.

During the proceedings, the Police prosecutor, S. A. Adebese, had prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days.

According to him, the three weeks would allow the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prepare legal advice.

But countering his argument, the defence counsel, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, opposed the plea.

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Falana begged the court not to remand his client, adding that he was not aware of an application to that effect.

The son of the legendary Fela Kuti was arrested for slapping an officer after his vehicle was stopped on Third Mainland Bridge.

Earlier, another lawyer to the detained musician, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, berated the Lagos PPRO, Mr. David Hundeyin, for parading and sharing the photograph of Seun in the media.

In a press release dated May 15, 2023, Fusika stated: “On Saturday the 13th May, 2023, my client, Mr. Seun Kuti reported himself in the office of the Commissioner of Police at the Police Command, Ikeja at 8 am today Monday May 15, 2023.

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“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.

“A Police institution that has no respect for the law it exists to enforce is not a good example to alleged law breakers. 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.”