Afrobeat Musician, Seun Kuti Finally Released On Bail

 

Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti has been released on bail from detention having met his bail conditions.

Lawyers representing the musician earlier in the day said he might be released on bail from detention on Tuesday (yesterday) as ordered by the Chief Magistrate, having fulfilled his bail terms.

The lawyers, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) and Kunle Adegoke (SAN) in a statement on Tuesday said Seun’s release was only waiting for administrative approval.

It was gathered that the Chief Magistrate of the Yaba Court where Seun was arraigned was absent from court on Tuesday.

But according to his lawyers, the process had nothing to do with whether or not the court had a physical sitting.

It was also gathered that the Chief Magistrates Court in Yaba, Lagos State, presided over by Adeola Olatubosun, adjourned Seun’s trial to Wednesday following the absence of the magistrate from the court.

But later on Tuesday, a source privy to the matter told some reporters that Seun Kuti had just been released on bail.

“The family fished out the Chief Magistrate and she attended to them and finalized his release on bail,” the source said.

Seun’s lawyers had said the purpose of Tuesday’s sitting was to receive the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions’ (DPP) advice.

The legal team earlier on Tuesday said, “The Court, as you will recall, had ordered that the prosecution of the case must be by the DPP’s office and not by the Police, hence the Police was also ordered to send the case file to the DPP for evaluation and decision as to prosecution.

“The court was, therefore, to sit today to receive the DPP’s advice, but did not because, as we’re informed, the Magistrate is attending a training course. However, the Advice of the DPP is not ready as the police investigation team is still holding on to the case file.

“Nevertheless, the release of Mr. Kuti on bail, as ordered by the Magistrate, is only waiting for administrative approval. That process has nothing to do with whether or not the court has a physical sitting. We are hopeful that Mr. Kuti will be out today on the bail granted him, having fulfilled the terms.”

It was gathered that on Monday, the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command, was plotting to ensure that Kuti was taken to the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, to certify that he was “mentally sick.”

Seun Kuti earlier refused to give out his blood samples to the police for medical examination after the command got the magistrate to amend her ruling and do their bidding.

“The police are trying to take the Afrobeat musician to the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State to declare him mentally sick. You can imagine what that can cause his musical career in Nigeria and abroad,” a source said on Monday.

Chief Magistrate Olatubosun had granted the police's application for an extension of Seun Kuti's remand for an additional four days.

On May 13, Seun Kuti was charged with assaulting a police officer on Lagos State’s Third Mainland Bridge.