Police slap a whopping total of 12 charges against Afrobeat musician Seun Anikulapo-Kuti

AFROBEAT musician Seun Kuti is facing the prospect of a lengthy jail sentence after the Lagos State Police Command slapped a shocking 12 charges against him in response to his recent altercation with a policeman on Third Mainland Bridge.

Earlier this month, Seun, 40, the son of musical legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was declared wanted by the inspector general of police Usman Baba, after slapping a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge. Mr Baba asked the Lagos State police commissioner to arrest Seun and last week, the singer handed himself in voluntarily at the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command in Panti Street, Yaba.

Accompanied by a lawyer representing Falana Chambers, the law firm of popular human rights activist Femi Falana, Seun reported to the front desk, after which he was promptly arrested. He was subsequently handcuffed and his photograph taken in line with police procedure ahead of being charged to court.

Over the last few dramatic days, however, Seun has had his detention extended, his house has been searched twice and fellow detainees at Panti Street have named him general overseer. A copy of the Holy Bible was said to have been handed over to him as an instrument of his office.

Today, the police formally presented their charge sheet, which looks like a terrible vendetta as it contains numerous offences totally unrelated to the initial offence. Among the events Seun is charged with include assaulting a police officer, obstruction police duties, driving without a driver's license, driving with an expired vehicle paper, dangerous driving, acts capable of breaching public peace, assault occasioning harm, attempted murder of a law enforcement agent, threat to the life of a police officer, possession of substances suspected to be marijuana and other hard drugs, illegal distribution of substances suspected to be marijuana and illegal possession of firearms.

Last week, the Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos granted Seun bail and ordered the police to finish their investigation into the alleged assault of a policeman. Seun's  bail conditions include that he supplies two sureties who must own landed property in Lagos and the chief magistrate also asked the police to remove themselves from prosecuting him.