There was a twist of event today at the Yaba Magistrate Court, venue of the ongoing trial of the Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti accused of assaulting a police officer, as the police prosecution team brought in a Senior Advocate, Mr Simon Lough (SAN), a police officer to take charge of the trial.
Apparently, the police who have expressed their readiness and determination through the office of the Inspector General of Police, IGP to prosecute Seun Kuti reinforced the prosecution team to be led by the senior advocate at least to square up to the defence team fortified by some senior advocates.
The move by the Police force to bring in a Senior lawyer may not be unconnected to the hint by the court directing the police to hand over the case to the ministry of justice.
At the resumed hearing of the criminal case on Thursday at the Sabo-Yaba Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos, rather than allow Kuti to go home on bail, the presiding Magistrate granted an application for extension of remand of the musician for another four days to conclude police investigation.
Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola Olatubosun, extended Kuti’s remand until May 22, following the application made by the police lawyer. The development rubbished the hopes of the Afro legend musician to return home on Thursday.
According to Mr Lough SAN, who prayed the court for the the extension of the detention order argued this will allow police to conduct further investigation into the case.
Seun Kuti was accused by the police of assaulting an officer, the offence that was said to have been committed on May 13 on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State.
The police charged him with slapping an inspector after driving dangerously on the bridge and deliberately blocking a moving police vehicle.
Kuti was arraigned on Tuesday during which the chief magistrate ordered his remand for 48 hours.
She, however, held that the defendant should be admitted to bail in the sum of one million Naira with two sureties in like sum, at the end of the 48-hour remand.
She said that one of the sureties must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.
She had adjourned the case until May 22 for mention and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and forward a copy to the state director of public prosecutions for advice.
Besides the boosting of the prosecution team with the SAN, the police had previously disclosed that the police inspector allegedly slapped by Seun Kuti was in a coma.
