Justice Ekerete Akpan of a federal high court in Abuja has granted a N20 million bail with one surety to detained singer, Speed Darlington.
Justice Akpan gave the order on Wednesday in a ruling on the singer’s bail application by his lawyer Marshall Abubakar after he pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.
Akpan ordered that the surety, who must be a level 10 civil servant, must be a resident of Abuja and must be deposed to an affidavit of means.
The judge also held that the address of the surety should be verified by the court registrar and the surety must either be a staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) or a federal worker.
The surety was asked to deposit his/her letters of appointment and last promotion which the deputy chief registrar of the court must verify.
The judge, who ordered Darlington to deposit his international passport, asked the surety and the defendant to submit their two recent passport photographs to the court registrar.
He consequently ordered the singer to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
Akpan adjourned the matter until March 18 for trial.
Darlington was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo state. He was accused of cyberstalking Burna Boy, the Grammy-winning artiste.
Darlington had taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
He asked Burna Boy to explain how he won the Grammy award for his album ‘Twice As Tall’ — a project executive produced by Diddy. He claimed there was a sexual relationship between the duo.
NAN reports that Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector general of police, had taken Darlington to court for “cybercrime offences”.
Darlington’s legal representatives have been calling out the police over his continued detention and for allegedly denying the rapper access to bail.