Seun Kuti, an Afrobeat singer, who had been charged with assaulting a police officer is scheduled to appear in the Yaba Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos on September 27.
Seun Kuti was supposed to be arraigned today, but the arraignment was postponed due to the absence of the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Adeola Olatunbosun, who was stated to be ill.
Due to the absence of the Chief Magistrate, the court set September 27 as the date for the musician’s arraignment.
Seun Kuti was arrested by officers of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIID) on May 13, 2023, after allegedly assaulting an Inspector of Police, Mohammed Aminu, attached to the Police Training College, Ikeja, while on official business and in police uniform, on the third mainland bridge in Lagos.
The police, represented by Morufu Animashaun, Samsideedn Adebeain, and Cyril O., applied to the court on May 16, 2023, for his remand till the completion of the 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 that the police forward the case’s duplicate file to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
One of the police lawyers, Mr. Cyril, who was in court today, for the musician’s arraignment, said that the DPP had advised that the afrobeat musician be prosecuted for assault. However, neither Seun Kuti nor his lawyers were in court.
Consequently, the court Registrars fixed September 27, for the musician’s arraignment.
