Legal Counsel to Nigerian singer, Seun Kuti on Monday alleged that his client was treated like a criminal, despite turning himself in to the Police for assaulting an officer.
This was made known in a statement signed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika.
ThisNigeria reports that following the order given by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for the immediate arrest of Seun Kuti, the singer submitted himself to the Police on Monday morning.
The statement read: “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.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Seun Kuti in cuffs as he submits himself to police for assaulting officer
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.
