Armed Robbery: Police Dock Burna Boy ….Hip-Hop Star Gets Bail

Azeez Folorunso/

Against all expectations, the police in Lagos today arraigned Lagos hip-hop star, Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy for alleged accessory after fact and not the armed robbery he had been accused of.

Burna Boy, who was arraigned at Magistrate Court 1, Ikeja, had earlier been accused of robbing his fellow musician, Abiye David Jombo aka Mr 2Kay.

Mr 2Kay was allegedly robbed at gunpoint in his hotel room at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on October 22, during the ‘Buckwyld N Breathless’ concert where he also performed.

The police had invited Burna Boy in connection with the robbery, but the musician did not honour the invitation for two months. He was subsequently arrested and detained after he turned himself in.

At Monday’s proceedings, Burna Boy who was dressed in T-Shirt and blue jeans pleaded not guilty to the two count charge of ‘accessory after the fact’ and ‘conspiracy’.

According to the Prosecutor, Inspector N. Peters, Burna Boy did not disclose to security operatives what he knew about the armed robbery which allegedly took place on October 22.

Burna Boy’s lawyer, Bright Idahosa, asked the Court to grant his client bail in the liberal terms, a move which was not opposed by the police prosecutor.

However lawyers for Eko Hotel and Suites and Mr 2Kay’s record label, Grafton Entertainment, opposed the bail application while insisting that Burna Boy is a key witness in another case, where the main suspects in the armed robbery case against Mr 2Kay are standing trial, pending before a Lagos Magistrate court.

Tayo Reju, who held brief for Eko Hotel and Suites said that should Burna Boy be granted bail, it would jeopardize the sister case at a Lagos State Magistrate Court.

After listening to both parties, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs B. O Osunsanmi, granted Burna Boy bail of N100, 000 with two responsible sureties, while the matter was adjourned till December 29 for trial to commence.

Immediately after the court session, a mild drama ensued as Burna Boy was shielded by security operatives who prevented reporters from taking his pictures.

According to the Lagos State commissioner of police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, the suspects were paid N50, 000 before the attack on Mr. 2Kay and another N50, 000 was paid directly by Burna Boy after the job was done.

Mr 2Kay was robbed of his Audemars Piguet, an automatic gold wristwatch valued at $25,000; gold jewellery valued at N1.5million; an iPhone 7 valued at N380, 000; a Samsung Galaxy S7 valued at N240, 000, Samsung Galaxy S5 worth N110, 000; Adidas shoes valued at N75, 000; three bottles of perfume worth N180, 000, and a cash sum of N45, 000.

Joel Kantiock, Burna Boy’s road manager, was paraded among the robbery suspects, alongside Balogun Ademola, Obinna Igwe, and Tunmise Omotore who were subsequently arraigned in court.

The matter was adjourned till December 29 for prosecution to open its case.

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