Seun Kuti, a prominent Nigerian Afrobeat musician, is on his way to Switzerland for a summer European tour, following his release from custody by the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State command. A source confirmed that Kuti’s departure for Zurich, where he is scheduled to perform on Thursday, has been arranged. This development comes after he was unable to perform at a concert in Majorca Island, Spain, due to his detention by the Nigerian Police Force.
Kuti’s arrest stemmed from allegations of assaulting a police officer, and he was expected to appear in court at the Yaba Magistrate’s Court. However, the trial has been adjourned to July 3. The courtroom witnessed a confrontation between Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatubosun and the police over new charges brought against Kuti. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) played a crucial role in blocking these fresh charges.
Falana raised important objections regarding the delayed presentation of the new charges and the police’s failure to comply with a court order to send the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He argued that the police had disregarded the law, which requires new charges to be presented at least 48 hours in advance, allowing the defendant sufficient time to prepare a defense. Furthermore, Falana criticized the police’s refusal to send the case file to the DPP, as ordered by the Chief Magistrate on May 16, 2023.
Falana cautioned that unless the police appealed the judge’s order, they would not be able to prosecute Kuti.