Controversial hip-hop artist Habeeb Okikiola, better known by his stage name Portable, has been released from the Ilaro Correctional Center where he had been detained earlier on Monday.
An Ogun State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ifo in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State had earlier in the day granted him bail in the sum of N300, 000.
The state police command arraigned him on a five-count bordering on assault, among others.
He was accused of assaulting policemen who went to his bar for official duties.
Magistrate A.S Shoneye, while delivering his ruling on the application for bail by his counsel, Adodo Destiny, said the offences are bailable.
He ruled that the musician be granted bail with a bail bond of N300, 000, and two sureties who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.
The magistrate, however, ruled that he be transferred to the Ilaro Correctional Centre, pending the time his bail conditions are met.
The spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service in the state, Victor Oyeleke, confirmed that the musician had perfected the bail conditions and left custody, according to Punch.
“He has perfected the bail conditions and he just left the custody,” Oyeleke told our correspondent.
The musician had earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.
Some of the counts read, “That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, m, a.ka. Portable, and others now at large, on March 28, 2023, at 11am at Odogwu Bar, Oke-Osa, Ilogbo, Ifo in the Ifo Magisterial District did wilfully cause or inflict physical injury on one Inspector Hammed Moshood ‘m’ with your elbow on his nose which caused blood to gush out from his nose and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 4 (1) of the Violence Against Persons and Prohibition Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2017.
“That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, m, a.k.a Portable, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did resist being arrested by Inspector Hammed Moshood ‘m’, ASP Gregory Iyoha ‘m’, ASP Kunle Badmus ‘m’ after serving you with a police invitation letter on January 20, 2023, for the offences you committed when they were about to discharge their duty with a warrant of arrest on you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 197 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.”
The case was adjourned till April 26 for the commencement of trial.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, while parading the musician before journalists at the command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta on Friday, said he was arrested for allegedly assaulting one Osimusi Emmanuel.
Oyeyemi added that Portable also attacked and assaulted police officers who came to his bar to arrest him.
