“Trial Set For March,” Court Grants Speed Darlington N20m Bail Over Burna Boy Posts

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.

Justice Akpan ordered that the surety, who must be a Level 10 civil servant, must reside in Abuja and depose to an affidavit of means.

He directed that the address of the surety should be verified by the court registrar and that the surety must either be a staff member of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) or a federal worker.

The judge also directed that the surety should deposit their letters of appointment and last promotion, which must be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court.

Speed Darlington was ordered to deposit his international passport, and both the surety and the defendant were directed to submit two recent passport photographs with the court registrar.

Justice Akpan consequently ordered that Speed Darlington be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

The judge adjourned the matter until March 18 for trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Inspector-General 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,” and “Speed Darlington is such a clown infamaooo…” through his Instagram handle @20takeoffs 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. Odugwu is not a nickname; Odigwu is a 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 also alleged to have been posted on other Instagram pages: Instablog9ja, Instablog9jamedia, and published by Benny@benny7gg.

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 this 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.