Kemisola Oye
A Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Sabo-Yaba, today extended the detention order of Afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti by another four days in police custody following an application by Lagos State Police Command.
The son of the renowned Afrobeat musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is alleged to have assaulted a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos at the weekend.
Chief Magistrate, Adeola Olatubosun’s order was sequel to a motion ex-parte brought by the police seeking an order of the court to remand the defendant in police custody for four days at the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), Yaba Lagos, to enable the police carry out further investigation.
It will be recalled that the same court had earlier granted the youngest son of Fela bail and ordered him released within 48 hours. The order at the time was based on the submission by the police that it was still investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, the team of prosecution counsel led by DCP, Simon Lough (SAN), Yetunde Cardoso, P.A. Egbunike, Umar Bello, Cyril Ajifor, Mr Moruf Animashaun, Ayodele Oladiran, S.A Adebesin, Emmanuel Eze, V.I Ekperezie and Idowu Osungbure told the court that they filed a motion ex-parte supported by 12 paragraphs affidavit with one exhibit attached to it.
Lough (SAN), who told the court that the motion was supported with written address, added that the 12 paragraphs affidavit was deposed to by one ACP Saheed Kassim, one of the Investigating Police Officers (IPO) attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba Lagos.
The application is brought pursuant to Sections 264(1) (2),(3),(4) & (6) & 257 of Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2021 (as amended), sections 4 & 10 of the Police Act, 2020 and sections 6(6), 35(1)(C), (5) & (7)(9) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).
The learned silk said, “It is our humble submission that from the facts, nature and circumstance of this case, the applicant is entitled to the relief sought from this honourable court in the interest of justice, public order and morality”.
Responding to the prosecution team submission, Mr Femi Akinyemi, counsel who held the brief of Mr Olumide- Fusika (SAN) prayed for a stand down of the matter.
But Chief Magistrate Olatubosun refused the prayer of the defendant’s counsel. She, subsequently, granted prosecution prayer for an extension of the remand order.
She, therefore, ordered that the defendant be further remanded in police custody for four days. She said the case file be duplicated and a copy sent to the office of the DPP and subsequently adjourned to 23 May 2023.
Eighteen-Eleven Media