Police ransack Seun Kuti's home in search of evidence to charge him with fresh offence

AFROBEAT musician Seun Kuti us faxing the prospect of being charged with more offences than just assaulting a policeman after the men of the Lagos State Police Command ransacked his residence in search of evidence to charge him with a separate crime.

 

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 last week. Mr Baba asked the Lagos State police commissioner to arrest Seun and on Monday morning 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.

 

Having appeared in court and his bail conditions already agreed, Seun has seen more drama, however, as the police obtained a search warrant and ransacked his address earlier today. Apparently, the policemen took the musician along with them when they went to his house and seized his wife’s mobile phone.

 

One eyewitness said: “The police came with him to search his house and seized his wife’s phone. They’re are looking for evidence to charge him with a different crime.”

 

On Monday, Seun’s wife was pursued away from the police station when she brought him food, with the police calling her all sorts of names and threatening to arrest her as an accomplice. Yesterday, 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 in 48 hours.

 

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. She directed that the case file should be duplicated and forwarded to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions for prosecution.

 

Meanwhile, Seun's lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika pointed out, that the police already stated publicly that the police officer trailed and went to Seun's house and accepted N12,000 to repair his car that was damaged in the altercation. According to the police, they are yet to conclude their investigations into the matter and cannot release Seun until they do so.

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