Greater than forty-eight hours after embattled singer Velocity Darlington was granted bail by the Federal Excessive Courtroom, his legal professionals, Deji Adeyanju and Stan Alieke, have lamented and alleged that regardless of the courtroom order, the police have refused to launch the singer.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Velocity Darlington was arrested on 27 November on allegations of cyberstalking Grammy Award winner Burna Boy. After spending practically a month in police detention, the Federal Excessive Courtroom granted him bail on Monday, however his continued detention has sparked outrage amongst his authorized crew and supporters.
In an Instagram put up on Thursday, Mr Alieke expressed frustration over the shortage of help for Velocity Darlington’s case regardless of exhausting all his connections.
The rapper’s lawyer stated, “We’ve gone to courtroom and finished every little thing a lawyer ought to do to get his shopper out. I’ve even exhausted my connections. I’ve reached out to my political pals right here in Abuja. I’ve reached out to everybody. I ponder why individuals are attempting to not get entangled on this case and are saying, ‘Look, Akpi (Velocity Darlington) insulted us earlier than; Akpi did this earlier than.’ It’s nonsense. Everyone seems to be attempting to say he received what was coming to him, and so what?
“Simply think about your brother being in detention for greater than a month now over the truth that he allegedly insulted somebody, and individuals are celebrating, jubilating, and saying, ‘Okay, Akpi talks anyhow.’ Somebody even informed me to not get entangled as a result of Akpi had insulted me. However I’ve identified Akpi for over 5 years, and I’ve been his lawyer. I do know him higher than the folks speaking on-line.”
Defied courtroom order
Mr Alieke added he had no thought why the police have been refusing to obey the courtroom order and launch Velocity Darlington, noting that the courtroom dominated on Monday that the police ought to launch or arraign him inside the subsequent 48 hours.
He stated, “I don’t know why the police are refusing to obey the courtroom order and launch that man (Velocity Darlington). The courtroom dominated on Monday that the police ought to launch or arraign him inside the subsequent 48 hours. Okay, we didn’t depend yesterday as a result of they stated it was a Christmas vacation and, to that extent, a public vacation. So, it shouldn’t be counted. At this time, we counted Tuesday, however we didn’t depend Wednesday. At this time (Thursday) makes it 48 working hours. But, the police refuse to grant him bail or obey the courtroom order—both to grant him bail or arraign him earlier than the courtroom. Now he has spent Christmas there.”
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Likewise, in an X put up on Thursday, Mr Adeyanju expressed frustration, stating, “The Nigerian Police have refused to launch Velocity Darlington, a.ok.a. Akpi, regardless of the express order of the Federal Excessive Courtroom to take action. That is the best type of disrespect to the judiciary.”
The courtroom order, which Mr Adeyanju additionally shared, was issued by Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja on Monday, 23 December.
Within the swimsuit filed, with swimsuit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/1832/202, by Darlington Achakpo (Velocity Darlington) in opposition to the Inspector Basic of Police, the courtroom declared the singer’s arrest and detention as a “gross violation” of his elementary rights, together with his rights to dignity, private liberty, freedom of expression, and motion, as assured underneath Chapter IV of the Nigerian Structure.
The courtroom’s order learn, “A declaration that the arrest and detention of the Candidates by officers of the Respondent constitutes a gross violation of the Applicant’s rights to dignity of human individuals, proper to private liberty, proper to freedom of expression and proper to freedom of motion and as assured underneath Chapter IV of the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“A declaration that the continual and illegal detention of the Applicant by officers of the Respondent on the Respondent’s detention facility with out presenting him earlier than a courtroom of competent jurisdiction quantities to a violation of his elementary rights as assured underneath Chapter IV of the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“An order of this Honourable Courtroom directing the Respondent to right away and unconditionally launch the Applicant from the Respondent’s detention facility the place he’s being stored.
The courtroom’s ruling acknowledged: “The Applicant is to be charged to courtroom inside 48 hours or launched unconditionally earlier than the listening to of the substantive utility. This matter is adjourned to the sixth day of January 2025 for a listening to. The listening to discover is to be served to the Respondents.”
Get counter-order
In his Instagram put up, Mr Alieke lamented that the police don’t have any excuse for letting private grievances affect their actions. They need to have sought a counter-order or requested the courtroom to put aside the earlier one.
The rapper’s lawyer stated, “Now, by all requirements, the particular person dealing with this case is a Deputy Commissioner of Police (no identify talked about) who grew to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as of final yr—regardless of being a police officer, he’s additionally a senior lawyer. He ought to advise his principal, the IGP, and the DIG that, as soon as the courtroom has dominated, the courtroom order needs to be obeyed regardless of any sentiments or emotional attachment to the case. Grant this man (Darlington) bail, because the courtroom has instructed.
“In the event that they don’t wish to try this, they need to go to courtroom and get a counter-order. However since then, they haven’t finished that. They haven’t arraigned him. They haven’t gone to courtroom to get a counter-order or requested the courtroom to put aside the earlier order. They’ve not granted him bail. There isn’t any justification for this, irrespective of the grievances.”
The authorized counsel revealed that he had contacted the IGP and texted Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Police Pressure PRO, saying, “This isn’t the picture the Nigeria Police Pressure needs to be portray.”
He added, “I don’t know why the police are refusing to obey the courtroom order and launch that man (Velocity Darlington). The courtroom dominated on Monday that the police ought to launch or arraign him inside the subsequent 48 hours. Okay, we didn’t depend yesterday as a result of they stated it was a Christmas vacation and, to that extent, a public vacation. So, it shouldn’t be counted. At this time, we counted Tuesday, however we didn’t depend Wednesday. At this time (Thursday) makes it 48 working hours. But, the police refuse to grant him bail or obey the courtroom order—both to grant him bail or arraign him earlier than the courtroom. Now he has spent Christmas there.”
Influential Interference
Mr Alieke alleged that influential individuals are concerned in Velocity Darlington’s case, probably affecting its equity. He additionally recalled seeing Burna Boy giving money to cops throughout the first case in October, which he believes may compromise their neutrality and impression Darlington’s therapy.
The lawyer stated, “I’m absolutely conscious and never oblivious that many influential individuals have an interest within the matter. I used to be with Akpi, and I informed him, ‘Lots of people say they need to drill him in order that he’ll cease speaking.’
“The reality is, what goes round comes round. So, regardless of folks saying that he calls anybody out and does this or that—somebody even stated Akpi has blocked everybody—that isn’t a justification. I perceive the logic of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my buddy,’ however that’s nonetheless not a justification. This might occur to anybody. He allegedly insulted somebody. That particular person ought to file a civil case, not abuse their energy.
“The primary time this case (Darlington’s) occurred when he was first arrested in October, I noticed Burna Boy come together with his crew. I used to be there with Akpi and a few of my employees. After the assembly, I noticed Burna Boy come down and distribute bundles of money to the police whereas they eagerly requested for selfies. I informed my employees who have been current, ‘If this man (Akpi) makes any mistake once more, these folks will drill him.’ The way in which the police, supposed to stay impartial, have been going for selfies and accepting bundles of money was alarming,” Mr Alieke decried.
Police react
On Thursday, this newspaper contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on the Abuja headquarters, Mr Adejobi, to debate the allegations surrounding the case.
He referred this reporter’s enquiry to the Abuja Pressure Legal Investigation Division (FCID) PRO, Funmi Eguaoje, for remark.
In a cellphone dialog, Ms Eguaoje stated, “I’m not conscious of the case, but when the person (Velocity Darlington) has been granted bail and has not met the bail circumstances, they can’t be launched. If the case has been taken to courtroom, the courtroom orders decide the bail.”
No bail circumstances
Reacting to Ms Eguaoje’s claims on Thursday, Mr Alieke stated: “The police are in the most effective place to elucidate why he has not been launched. The Pressure Intelligence Division (FID) in Abuja handles the case. They can’t declare ignorance of the matter because it has been ongoing with out interruption.”
Addressing Velocity Darlington’s bail circumstances, Mr Alieke clarified, “There aren’t any excellent bail circumstances; every little thing has been resolved. The courtroom order clearly states he have to be launched inside 48 hours, but this directive has not been adopted.”
He additional alleged, “We suspect private and inside interference within the delay. Ready till 6 January 2025 is pointless when the courtroom ruling is express. We’ve tried to resolve this diplomatically, however we’ve heard that even the police DIG contributes to the delays. Sadly, the police have a historical past of disregarding courtroom orders, so that is no shock.”
In the meantime, in an interview on Monday with this newspaper, Mr Alieke additionally pressured that the bail granted to Velocity Darlington was “unconditional” and may have resulted in his speedy launch. He defined that the courtroom’s ruling have to be served on all related events, together with the police, liable for notifying the investigating division.
READ ALSO: Police defy courtroom order, refuse to launch Velocity Darlington – Deji Adeyanju alleges
The rapper’s lawyer condemned the arrest as “unjustified, asserting that the case was a civil matter that did “not warrant police intervention.” He argued that the difficulty ought to have been addressed by means of correct authorized channels slightly than involving regulation enforcement.
Makes an attempt to contact Mr Adeyanju to deal with his “Police Defiance” claims proved abortive. Regardless of the courtroom’s express order to launch Darlington or cost him inside 48 hours, the police have neither complied nor supplied any clarification for his or her actions.
Background
Velocity Darlington’s arrest stems from a authorized dispute with Burna Boy, which escalated in October when Darlington allegedly mocked Burna Boy’s affiliation with American rapper Diddy, who was entangled in authorized troubles with the FBI.
This led to a diss observe titled Child Oil, which criticised Burna Boy and gained traction on Spotify Nigeria’s Prime 100. The feud deepened when Darlington demanded an apology from Burna Boy’s mom and N12 million in compensation.
His subsequent arrest on 27 November throughout a efficiency in Owerri, Imo State, has been described by his authorized crew as a misuse of police energy. The case has been adjourned to six January 2025 for additional listening to.
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