Burna Boy using influence to keep Speed Darlington in police custody, lawyer claims

Stan Alieke, the lawyer to controversial rapper, Darlington Achakpo, aka Speed Darlington/Akpi, has alleged that popular singer, Burna Boy, is using his influence to keep his client in police custody despite a court ruling ordering his release.

In an interview with Saturday Beats, he said, “There is no gainsaying that there are a lot of powerful persons interested in this matter. On one hand, we have Burna Boy, and on the other hand, the police seem to be acting based on sentiments and emotions rather than the law. Despite anybody’s feelings and emotions, once a court ruling is made, it should be obeyed.

“If Burna claims defamation, the proper step is to go to court and seek legal remedies, but he is using the police to do this because he has the connection and power.

“The court has never sat on this case, it was only charged to court in November. The last meeting we had with Burna was after Akpi was detained for four days when the Deputy Inspector General of Police was trying to settle the matter in his office in Abuja. The DIG invited Burna and his team, and Akpi and his lawyer. When they both met at the DIG’s office, Burna didn’t speak for long, he only said his lawyer should speak for him, and the lawyer said Burna had lost lots of gigs because of the videos Akpi made and he wants him to stop making videos about him, which we agreed to. He also said he wanted a public apology, and I drafted it myself.”

Alieke also claimed that his client was unwell and being poorly treated in detention.

“His family is heartbroken and traumatised. His mother and brother call me almost every night. However, Akpi is in a high spirits; only that he has not been feeling fine. I saw him two days ago and I insisted that the police should take him to the hospital. He has not been eating because they have not been feeding him.”

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