Court Orders Remand Of Afrobeat Musician, Seun Kuti, For 48 Hours

A Magistrates Court setting in Yaba, Lagos State, on Tuesday, remanded Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti in police custody for 48 hours.

Kuti who was arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun was charged for allegedly assaulting a police officer, an offense contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.

On Saturday, Kuti was filmed repeatedly manhandling the officer, based on a defense that the operative had threatened his life and his family members.

The video had stirred reactions on various social media platforms as many Nigerians called for his arrest and prosecution.

Consequently, the Inspector General of a police, Usman Baba had ordered his arrest while the Police Service Commission asked that he be arraigned immediately to restore public confidence in the police and maintain orderliness across the country.

Following the order of the IGP, the Afrobeat musician in the early hours of Monday had turned himself in at the state Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, in company of his lawyer and family representative.

The police prosecutor, S. A Adebese, prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

But, the defense counsel led by Femi Falana, SAN, pleaded with the court not to remand his client, stating that he was not aware of the remand application.

In her ruling, Magistrate Olatunbosun said: “Court has decided to override any public opinion and pass the judgment of the court.

“Following the remand application presented before the court, I am advising that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Directorate of public prosecutions within 72 hours.

“The defendant is hereby remanded for 48 hours in police custody to allow the police to conclude their investigation.

“After 48 hours, the defendant will be granted bail in the sum of N1m with two responsible sureties, a three years tax payment receipt that is verifiable; one of the sureties must have a landed property within the court jurisdiction.”