Seun Kuti, an afrobeat singer, has been ordered by the Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State to be remanded for 48 hours in police custody for an alleged assault on a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Chief Magistrate Mrs. Adeola Olatubosun granted the remand request but also ruled that after the 48-hour period, Kuti should be admitted to bail in the sum of one million Naira with two sureties in the same amount. One of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case has been adjourned until May 22 for mention, and the prosecutor has been instructed to duplicate the case file and send a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice.
According to the investigating police officer, Mr. Lekan Ogundare, the alleged incident occurred on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge. It was claimed that Kuti drove dangerously, blocking a moving police vehicle, and subsequently assaulted Insp Mohammed Aminu, who was in police uniform.
The police had requested a 21-day remand for further investigation, but Seun Kuti’s lawyer, Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), requested time to respond to the application. Olumide-Fusika argued that Kuti had willingly surrendered himself to the police and should not be remanded.
In response, Mr. M. A. Animashaun, a member of the police legal team, stated that temporary deprivation of liberty was necessary for investigation purposes, noting that the alleged victim was undergoing medical treatment.
Ultimately, the court decided on the 48-hour remand followed by bail, taking into consideration the arguments presented by both parties.