The lawyer to controversial Nigerian singer, Speed Darlington, Stan Alieke of Law Capitol, has said the prolonged detention of his client is due to high-profile individuals involved in the case.
Speed Darlington’s continued detention has generated public curiosity since his second arrest on 27 November during a performance in Owerri, Imo State.
Darlington was arrested on allegations of cyberstalking Nigerian Afrobeats star, Burna Boy, which his lawyers, Deji Adeyanju and Alieke, described as unjustified detention.
In an interview with PremiumTimes, Alieke said the real obstacles to his client’s release were the influence of powerful individuals and the high profile of Burna Boy, the complainant.
The rapper’s lawyer said he believes defamation is a civil matter, not a criminal one, and criticised the police for Speed Darlington’s detention.
The lawyer added, “Darlington was charged to court, and they set 14 January as the hearing date. We, his lawyers, cannot wait till then. He was brought before the court last Thursday, and though the judge insisted we wait for our turn, we are determined to file for fundamental rights enforcement before the court goes on recess. He will not spend the festive period in detention.
“The matter (Speed Darlington’s case) has been on. And because a lot of bigwigs are interested in the matter. The prolonged detention is due to the involvement of bigwigs.
“For Speed Darlington to be arrested the first and the second time, it’s just arbitrary; it’s just because of the status of the person he is dealing with or because of the involvement of powerful individuals.
“I still maintain my stance on defamation… The police have been acting beyond ultra vires from our statutory provision and even judicial precedent… and the law says once it’s a civil matter, the police have no authority over it.”
