Stan Alieke, the legal representative of Speed Darlington, has spoken out against the alleged ill-treatment of the singer while he was in detention.
Darlington was arrested on November 27 for allegedly cyberstalking Burna Boy, the Grammy-winning artiste.
The singer had taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
He asked Burna Boy to explain how he won the Grammy award for his album ‘Twice As Tall’ — a project executive produced by Diddy. He claimed there was a sexual relationship between the duo.
After two months in prison, Darlington was released on Tuesday.
In an interview with BBC Pidgin, Alieke said his client was kept in a “harsh detention facility,” describing it as an “underground abattoir” meant for “hardened criminals and insurgents”.
“To subject him to that kind of hardship. They kept him in an underground abattoir. People in Abuja would know how dreadful that place is,” he said.
“It is the place they put Boko Haram insurgents awaiting trial, Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, hardened criminals.
“They put him in that place because they wanted to break and drill him. That is what every lawyer is supposed to do, to fight the fundamental human right enforcement for financial compensation. No amount they give him would equate to the hardship he suffered.”
Alieke revealed that they will fight for Darlington’s fundamental rights and seek financial compensation for the hardship he suffered.
He emphasized that no amount of money can equate to what Darlington went through.
He also said the rapper will not apologize to Burna Boy, as it would imply that he is guilty of the offense.
“Akpi will never apologise to Burna Boy, we would never even support that because of the things he has been through,” he said.
“He would not even agree if I advise him to, the matter has gotten to court already. Whether he apologises or not, it is now in the jurisdiction of the court to decide if he truly defamed Burna Boy or not.
“Begging him would mean he is pleading guilty already. The petition Burna Boy wrote was that Akpi said dented his reputation and made him loose some endorsements. Why did he not just go to court and institute a civil action? Court would equate the damages to financial compensation.
“But because of the person involved, the police stepped in and right from time, we told the police that they should not have gotten involved in the matter. In fact, the police should have granted him administrative bail from when he was arrested. People were saying it served him right, that he talks anyhow but no matter what, he should not have been locked up for that long.”
