Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, has been sentenced to three months in jail with the option of a N30,000 fine over the assault of a police officer, obstruction of arrest, and theft of studio equipment.
Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Babajide Ilo of the Chief Magistrate Court in Ifo, Ogun State, found Portable guilty of the offences committed in Okeosa, Ilogbo, back in November 2022.
Police prosecutor Olumide Awoleke said the charges dated back to November 2022, when the singer allegedly attacked an officer, obstructed an arrest, and was involved in the theft of studio equipment.
According to the charge sheet, the singer’s offences included conspiracy to commit assault, physical attack on an officer, and theft of music equipment, including a Yamaha studio monitor and an AKG microphone.
It read: ‘That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, and others now at large, on the 18th day of November 2022 at 11:00 hrs, in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: assault, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State 2006.
‘That you, Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi, on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned district, did unlawfully assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi (male) by beating him all over his body, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 351 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.
‘That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, on various occasions in the year 2022, at Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did steal some musical equipment, including a Yamaha H55 studio monitor, a complete Studio 2 interface connection cable, and an AKG P420 condenser, thereby committing an offence contrary to Sections 384 and 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006’, it added.
The judge, who ruled that Portable was guilty of assault and resisting arrest, sentenced the singer to one month in jail with a N10,000 fine option for the first count, and two months with a N20,000 fine option for the second count.
