Why Police Handcuffing Musician, Seun Kuti Is Illegal – Lawyer | READ DETAILS
The lawyer to Nigerian afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti son of late Fela Anikulapo Kuti has said that the Nigeria Police handcuffing and parading his client who assaulted a police officer, is illegal.
Recall that Seun Kuti was caught on tape sla-pping a uniformed policeman on Third Mainland Bridge, in Lagos State.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, ordered for his immediate arrest and a “speedy and full investigation into the remote and immediate cause(s) of the assault and prosecution of the suspect accordingly.”
Immediately after submitting himself to the police, Seun Kuti was handcuffed and had his mugs hot taken by the police while also being paraded before other police officers, and his pictures released to the media.
Reacting, his lawyer Olumide-Fusika, (SAN) in a statement argued that his client is presumed innocent until proven otherwise, therefore handcuffing and parading him violates “section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which has prohibited any form of a parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State.”
The statement read;
“Following his encounter with a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge on Saturday, May 13, 2023, my client, Mr. Seun Kuti reported himself in the office of the Commissioner of Police at the Police Command, Ikeja, at 8 am on 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 shared the photograph of his parade in the media.
“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 a parade of criminal suspects in Nigeria in Lagos State.
“The Police are supposed to enforce the Law but prefer 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 lawbreakers.
“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.”
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