The lawyers of Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti on Tuesday said “administrative approval” is the only thing preventing their client from regaining freedom after eight days in police custody.
Kuti was arrested last Monday after turning himself in to the Lagos State Police Command for investigation of his alleged assault on a policeman.
Though a magistrates’ court in the Yaba area of Lagos State granted bail to the embattled singer, he has yet to be released.
His lawyers, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, and Kunle Adegoke, SAN, in a statement made available to NewsClick Nigeria, said the court was to sit on Tuesday (today) to receive the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Lagos.
However, according to Kuti’s lawyers, the Magistrate “is attending a training course”.
They added that the advice of the DPP was not ready as the police investigation team was 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,” the statement read.
“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.”
See the full statement below:
SEUN KUTI: AN UPDATE
_For immediate release, Tuesday May 23, 2023
- The purpose of today’s sitting was to receive the Lagos DPP’s advice.
- 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.
Thank you.
Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SANKunle Adegoke, SAN
