Seun Kuti, an Afrobeat musician, will be charged on September 27 in Lagos State’s Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
Seun’s arraignment was stalled on Monday due to absence of the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Adeola Olatunbosun, who was said to be indisposed.
The musician was arrested by officers of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID) after it was claimed that on May 13, 2023, while on an official trip and wearing a police uniform on the third Mainland Bridge, he assaulted Mohammed Aminu, an Inspector of Police attached to the Police Training College in Ikeja.
The police had approached the court on May 16, 2023, for his remand, pending the conclusion of further investigation.
At the end of the police investigation, the defendant was dragged before the court for arraignment, which was stalled following arguments of his counsel, who told the court that the police could not be the complainant and also the prosecutor at the same time on the matter.
Consequently, the presiding Chief Magistrate, conceded to the defence team’s submissions, and ordered the police to forward the case’s duplicate file to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for a legal advice.
Mr. Cyril, one of the police lawyers, said that the DPP had suggested that the musician be charged with assault but that neither Seun nor any of his lawyers were present in court for the musician’s arraignment.
As a result, the court registrar fixed the musician’s arraignment for September 27.
Ada Peter
