Lawyers to controversial Nigerian singer Speed Darlington have lamented and alleged that despite the Federal High Court order, the police have refused to release the singer.
The lawyers, Deji Adeyanju and Stan Alieke said it’s been more than 48 hours since the embattled singer was granted bail by the Court.
It was reported that Speed Darlington was arrested on 27 November on allegations of cyberstalking Grammy Award winner Burna Boy.
After spending nearly a month in police detention, the Federal High Court granted him bail on Monday, but his continued detention has sparked outrage among his legal team and supporters.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, Mr Alieke expressed frustration over the lack of support for Speed Darlington’s case despite exhausting all his connections.
The rapper’s lawyer said, “We’ve gone to court and done everything a lawyer should do to get his client out.
I have even exhausted my connections. I’ve reached out to my political friends here in Abuja.
“I’ve reached out to everyone. I wonder why people are trying not to get involved in this case and are saying, ‘Look, Akpi (Speed Darlington) insulted us before; Akpi did this before.’ It’s nonsense. Everyone is trying to say he got what was coming to him, and so what?
“Just imagine your brother being in detention for more than a month now over the fact that he allegedly insulted someone, and people are celebrating, jubilating, and saying, ‘Okay, Akpi talks anyhow.’
“Someone even told me not to get involved because Akpi had insulted me. But I’ve known Akpi for over five years, and I’ve been his lawyer. I know him better than the people talking online.”
He added he had no idea why the police were refusing to obey the court order and release Speed Darlington, noting that the court ruled on Monday that the police should release or arraign him within the next 48 hours.
He said, “I have no idea why the police are refusing to obey the court order and release that guy (Speed Darlington). The court ruled on Monday that the police should release or arraign him within the next 48 hours. Okay, we didn’t count yesterday because they said it was a Christmas holiday and, to that extent, a public holiday.
“So, it shouldn’t be counted. Today, we counted Tuesday, but we didn’t count Wednesday.
“Today (Thursday) makes it 48 working hours. Yet, the police refuse to grant him bail or obey the court order either to grant him bail or arraign him before the court. Now he has spent Christmas there.”
Likewise, in an X post on Thursday, Mr Adeyanju expressed frustration, stating, “The Nigerian Police have refused to release Speed Darlington, a.k.a. Akpi, despite the explicit order of the Federal High Court to do so. This is the highest form of disrespect to the judiciary.”
The court order, which Mr Adeyanju also shared, was issued by Justice M.S. Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, 23 December.
In the suit filed, with suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/1832/202, by Darlington Achakpo (Speed Darlington) against the Inspector General of Police, the court declared the singer’s arrest and detention as a “gross violation” of his fundamental rights, including his rights to dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression, and movement, as guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution.
The court’s order read, “A declaration that the arrest and detention of the Applicants by officers of the Respondent constitutes a gross violation of the Applicant’s rights to dignity of human persons, right to personal liberty, right to freedom of expression and right to freedom of movement and as guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
