Policemen storm Seun Kuti’s home, seize wife’s phone

The PUNCH has gathered that officers of the Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday, stormed the Akin Osiyemi residence of Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos for a search, seizing his wife’s mobile phone in the process.

According to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, the policemen took the musician along during the search, while they combed his apartment.

The eyewitness said, “The police officers invaded Seun’s home here on my street, Akin Osiyemi, and he was in the vehicle with them while in handcuffs. They stormed and searched his apartment. But they also seized his wife’s phone before driving off with Seun Kuti.”

Meanwhile, an impeccable police source at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, told our correspondent that the Afrobeat legend was humiliated and threatened by aggrieved police officers while detained in a police cell on Monday.

“Some of my colleagues who were aggrieved over the incident took turns in humiliating and threatening Seun Kuti on Monday.

“The officers told him that he would have been dead if they were the ones he slapped during the altercation with their colleague on Saturday.

“He wasn’t even allowed to make a written statement until about 8 pm on Monday night, and he refused to give a statement after he was brought to the counter.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin did not respond to inquiries by our correspondent concerning the incident as of press time, despite phone calls and text messages to his telephone line on Tuesday.

Kuti, in a 12-second video clip that went viral on May 13, 2023, had assaulted a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.

The PUNCH reports that magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on Tuesday remanded Seun Kuti for 48 hours in police custody for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

The defendant turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, on Monday, following an order for his arrest by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.

He was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti and was, on Tuesday, arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court for assault on a police officer, an offence contrary to Section 365 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act.

The prosecution led by S. A Adebese and Morufu Animashaun prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

However, Kuti’s counsel, led by Femi Falana, SAN, prayed the court to not remand his client, stating that they (the counsel) were not aware of the remand application.

The magistrate after listening to both parties requested five minutes of recess stating that she needed to deliberate on her own.

She however handed her phone to the registrar to avoid calls from both parties.

When the court resumed sitting, the magistrate reading out her ruling said she would not rely on police investigation hence she remanded the defendant for 48 hours in police custody.

She said, “The Court has decided to override any public opinion and pass the judgement of the court.

“Following the remand application presented before the court, I am advising that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Directorate of public prosecutions within 72 hours.

“The defendant is hereby remanded for 48 hours in police custody to allow the police to conclude their investigation.

“After 48 hours, the defendant will be granted bail in the sum of N1m with two responsible sureties, a three years tax payment receipt that is verifiable; one of the sureties must have a landed property within the court jurisdiction.”

She adjourned the case till May 23, 2023, for mention.