Speed Darlington’s N300 million suit against IGP adjourned

The Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja has adjourned the ₦300 million basic rights enforcement go well with filed by detained singer Darlington Achakpo, often known as Velocity Darlington, towards the Inspector-Normal of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.

Justice Musa Liman set the brand new date to 27 January on Monday after Audu Garba, counsel for the IGP, requested “extra time to evaluation an extra affidavit served by Darlington’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshall, in open court docket”.

NAN stories that on the listening to, Mr Marshall knowledgeable the court docket that the matter was listed for the listening to of his shopper’s substantive utility to implement his basic rights.

He defined that “the police had served a counter-affidavit on them the earlier Friday, and an extra affidavit had been filed in response.”

Mr Garba acknowledged the submitting of the counter-affidavit however claimed he “had not but obtained the additional affidavit”.

Upon inquiry by Mr Liman within the court docket continuing, Mr Marshall confirmed that the additional affidavit was filed earlier that morning.

With the court docket’s permission, Mr Marshall proceeded to serve IGP counsel with a replica of the additional affidavit.

Nonetheless, when Mr Marshall tried to maneuver the applying, Mr Garba objected, citing “the necessity for extra time to evaluation the brand new affidavit for any contemporary problems with truth or legislation that may require a response.”

Responding to the police’s lawyer’s objection, Mr Liman adjourned the case till 27 January to permit each events to undertake their arguments.

Lawsuit

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Velocity Darlington, on 6 January, by his lawyer Deji Adeyanju, filed the N3 million go well with towards the IGP, alleging that his arrest and continued detention “violated the rapper’s basic rights as enshrined within the 1999 Structure.”

The singer sought a number of treatments from the court docket, together with an order for his speedy and unconditional launch from police custody or an order requiring the police to supply him earlier than the court docket. He additionally calls for ₦300 million typically and exemplary damages for what he described as “illegal and extended detention since 2024.”

In an affidavit filed by Esther Eyisi, a secretary in Darlington’s legislation agency, it was alleged that the singer was first arrested on 4 October 2024 over allegations of defamation involving fellow artiste Burna Boy. In line with the affidavit, Darlington was detained for 5 days, reportedly subjected to “maltreatment,” and launched on bail with out formal costs being filed towards him.

The affidavit said that Velocity Darlington was rearrested on 27 November 2024 for allegedly “violating his bail circumstances,” regardless of notifying the police of a medical emergency and receiving permission to journey for a efficiency. It argued that his continued detention with out arraignment breaches his constitutional rights and highlighted his function as his “household’s major breadwinner.”

Counter-affidavit

In distinction, NAN stories that the police counter-affidavit, deposed to by David Atama, said that Burna Boy, by his counsel, had lodged a petition towards Darlington, alleging threats to his life.

The counter-affidavit reads, “SP Davia Atama, on Sept. 24, 2024, the workplace obtained a petition from the nominal complainant Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly often known as Burna Boy, by G.C. Ijioma of Rockfold Chambers. Burna Boy alleged risk to his life, intimidation and reason for breakdown of legislation and order amongst his followers opposite to Part 24 of the Cybercrime Prohibition (Prevention) Act, 2015 (as amended).”

In line with the police, Darlington was invited for questioning and allegedly made admissions concerning the offence.

Nonetheless, in an extra affidavit, Darlington denied ever making such admissions, describing the claims as false and deceptive. Darlington insisted that the allegations made by Burna Boy have since change into “a topic of brute joke that a number of personalities have been making publicly in respect of the stated Burna Boy.” The rapper added that he had by no means jumped bail opposite to the police submission.

Contentious bail

After spending practically a month in police detention, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the court docket, on 23 December 2024, directed the police to launch Darlington or produce him in court docket inside 48 hours, pending the listening to of the substantive go well with.

Nonetheless, his authorized staff lamented and claimed that this directive was not totally complied with, resulting in the continuing authorized battle. The police cited administrative delays through the Christmas vacation as a purpose for non-compliance.

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Once more, on the 6 January listening to, the court docket directed the Nigerian Police to adjust to the order to launch Darlington instantly pending the listening to of the substantive matter and permitted the rapper’s counsel to behave as surety or have him arraigned instantly. The police reportedly ignored all efforts by Darlington’s authorized staff to satisfy bail circumstances on 7 January, worsening the state of affairs.

Regardless of fulfilling all court docket necessities, Darlington’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, in an interview, instructed this newspaper on Friday that the police refused to conform and described it as “yet one more act of contempt of court docket.”

Darlington’s arrest stemmed from a feud with Burna Boy in October 2024 after he mocked Burna Boy’s connection to Diddy, who confronted FBI points. This led to a diss observe, Child Oil, which gained reputation on Spotify Nigeria. The battle escalated when Darlington demanded an apology from Burna Boy’s mom and ₦12 million. He was later arrested on 27 November 2024 throughout a efficiency in Owerri. The continuing case will now resume on 27 January.