The Police defendant counsel on Tuesday told Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrates’ court that the policeman allegedly slapped by Seun Kuti on Third Mainland Bridge has been identified as Inspector Mohammed Aminu of the Police Training College, Ikeja who is said to be presently in the police prosecutors claimed at the Magistrate Court that the assaulted policeman was in a coma, and was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital on account of the assault.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, after listening to both parties requested five minutes of recess stating that she needed to deliberate on her own. She however handed her phone to the registrar to avoid calls from both parties.
When the court resumed sitting, the magistrate reading out her ruling said she would not rely on police investigation hence she remanded the defendant for 48 hours in police custody.
She said, “Court has decided to override any public opinion and pass the judgment of the court. She, however, held 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 within 72 hours. 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 Seun 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 of investigation. He said that Kuti’s alleged victim had been on medical treatment.
However, Olumide-Fusika said that Kuti handed himself over to the police and should not be remanded on such grounds.
He prayed the court to grant Seun Kuti bail, promising that the defendant would show up whenever needed.
Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun remanded the Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, for 48 hours in police custody for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
Kuti, in a 12-second video clip that went viral on May 13, 2023, had assaulted a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.
The defendant turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, on Monday, following an order for his arrest by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.