Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and counsel to Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat maestro, Fela Kuti, has narrated how his client was driven to detention by heavily armed police officers.
Daily Trust had reported how the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, ordered the arrest of Kuti after he was captured assaulting a police operative in uniform.
In the early hours of Monday, the musician turned himself in to the police, where he was placed under arrest.
The youngest son of Fela showed up in company of his lawyer and a family representative.
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Benjamin Hundeyin, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a tweet.
“Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, in the early hours of today turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, in company of his lawyer and family representative. He has been placed under arrest in line with the law. The Command appreciates the public for their concern and assures that the ongoing investigation will be detailed, transparent, professionally pursued; and justice will be manifestly served for all parties involved,” Hundeyin wrote alongside pictures of him in handcuff.
In a statement on Monday evening, Olumide-Fusika tackled Hundeyin for the alleged maltreatment of his client.
The statement reads: “Following his encounter with a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge on Saturday the 13th May, 2023, my client, Mr. Seun Kuti reported himself in the office of the Commissioner of Police at the Police Command, Ikeja, at 8 am today Monday May 15, 2023.
“I accompanied him to the Ikeja police station together with another lawyer, Mr. Femi Akinyemi from Falana and Falana chambers.
“However, there was no interrogation as it was decided he would be moved to the Force Criminal Investigation Unit at Panti, Yaba. Before his movement, Mr. Seun Kuti, was handcuffed and his photograph taken in the open by the Lagos PPRO, Mr. David Hundeyin who coordinated the parade and apparently shared the photograph of his parade in the media.
“Mr. Kuti is presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State. Therefore, the decision of the police to subject him to the media parade violates section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which has prohibited any form of parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State. The Police is supposed to enforce the Law, but prefers to disrespect and break it so casually and randomly. A Police institution that has no respect for the law it exists to enforce is not a good example to alleged law breakers.
“The decision of the police to handcuff Mr. Kuti is equally illegal as it constitutes a violation of Section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
“After handcuffing him, the Police then drove him in a long convoy of heavily armed personnel from Ikeja to Panti Lagos, where he was again displayed for viewing to the men and officers of that police formation, and is currently held.
“We await the next move of the Police on the misdemeanor alleged against Mr. Seun Kuti.”
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