Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju asserts that Nigerian police have refused to release rapper Speed Darlington in spite of a federal high court order.
While playing at a show in Owerri, Imo state, on November 27, the rapper was taken into custody.
He was charged with cyberstalking Grammy winner Burna Boy. Adeyanju and Stan Alieke, his attorneys, have called his ongoing detention “unjustifiable.”
Alieke shared on Instagram on December 23 that Darlington had been given bail by the court.
The judge ordered Darlington to be arraigned within 48 hours or released on bond, Adeyanju also wrote on X. Alieke subsequently disclosed, however, that Darlington was never charged.
“The Nigerian Police have refused to release Speed Darlington a.k.a AKPI despite the explicit order of the Federal High Court to do so. This is the highest form of disrespect to the judiciary,” he wrote.
Darlington was first arrested in October. This was after he taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
He asked Burna Boy to explain how he won the Grammy award for his album ‘Twice As Tall’ — a project executive produced by Diddy. He claimed there was a sexual relationship between the duo.
After spending five days in detention, Darlington was granted bail on October 9.
