•Speed Darlington and Burna Boy
A Federal High Court in Abuja today admitted the detained singer, Darlington Achakpo, popularly known as Speed Darlington, to a N20 million bail with one surety in the like.
Justice Ekerete Akpan gave the order in a ruling on the singer’s bail application moved by his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, after he pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime, reports NAN.
Justice Akpan ordered that the surety, who must be a Level 10 civil servant, must be a resident of Abuja and must depose to affidavit of means.
He directed that the address of the surety should be verified by the court registrar and the surety must either be a staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) or be a federal worker.
He also directed that the surety should deposit his letters of appointment and last promotion which must be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court.
The judge, who ordered Speed Darlington to deposit his international passport, directed the surety and the defendant to also submit their two recent passport photographs with the court registrar.
He consequently ordered Speed Darlington to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Justice Akpan adjourned the matter until March 18 for trial.
The Inspector-General (I-G) of police had, in the amended charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/556/2024, dragged Speed Darlington to court for cybercrime offences.
He was alleged to have transmitted the message; “Burna Boy, how many oil Diddy drop for your ny*sh before them give you that grammy,” “speed darlington is such a clown infamaooo…” through his instagram handle; @20takeoffs on internet in a viral video.
“A publication which went viral and was read and watched by many in Abuja, Lagos and throughout the world which you know to be false for the purpose of causing annoyance insult, injury, enmity or hatred among numerous fans of Burna Boy and posing inconvenience, danger, needless anxiety to his life and damage to his name and integrity.
“And you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(1)(a&(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 (as amended).
In count two, he was also alleged to have posted the message: “talking about burna boy odugwu is my language I am odugwu, odogwu is not nickname Odigwu is masquerade name, if you are a G, come my side come orlu road imo state no fit where I pass and where I pass army no dey passam you are a culture vulture you are not one of us…,” on his instagram handle; @20takeoffs.
The message was alleged to have also been posted on his other Instagram pages; instablog9ja, instablog9jamedia and published by Benny@benny 7gg.
The publication was said to intimidate, bully, threaten, or harass Burna Boy, “which communication placed him in fear of death, reasonable apprehension of violence or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (2) (a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 (as amended).”
Earlier, the prosecution lawyer, Garba Audu, informed the court that the matter was fixed for the defendant’s arraignment.
He prayed the court that the amended two-count charge dated Dec. 4, 2024, and filed Dec. 5, 2024, be read to the defendant.
Audu then applied to substitute the earlier charge dated Oct. 18, 2024, but filed on Oct. 21, 2024 and it was not opposed by Abubakar.
After the counts were read by the registrar, Speed Darlington pleaded not guilty.
“In view of the denial of the allegations by the defendant, I will be asking for a trial date to present our witnesses in court my lord,” Audu said.
But Abubakar drew the attention of the court to their bail application dated and filed on Dec. 6, 2024.
He said the complainant was served the same day the motion was filed.
The lawyer urged the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.
Although the prosecution lawyer opposed the bail plea, Justice Akpan admitted him on bail.
