Court Orders Remand Of Seun Kuti For 48 Hrs Over Alleged Assault On Police Officer

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Sabo – Yaba Lagos State, Tuesday, ordered the remand of afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti, over alleged assault on a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, held that Kuti should be remanded for 48 hours in police custody.

She ordered that the defendant should be admitted to bail in the sum of one million  Naira with two sureties in like sum, at the end of the 48-hour remand.

She said that one of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.

She adjourned the case until May 22 for mention.

She directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice.

Earlier, the investigating police officer, Mr Lekan Ogundare, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge.

He said that the defendant drove dangerously on the bridge and deliberately blocked a moving police vehicle.

He alleged that the defendant grabbed  Insp Mohammed Aminu attached to the Police Training College, Ikeja, while on official movement and in police uniform.

Ogundare said that the defendant slapped Aminu several times on his face.

Mr S. A. Adebeshin,  a legal officer of the police, had applied  to the court to remand  Kuti for  21 days to enable further investigation on the case.

His application was supported by a 12-paragraph affidavit.

Responding, Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) and counsel to the defendant, said that he was not aware of the application for the defendant’s remand.

He  requested for time to respond to the application.

Reacting, Mr M. A. Animashaun, a member of police legal team, submitted that there should be temporary deprivation of liberty of the defendant for purposes for purposes of investigation.