Controversial Nigerian singer Darlington Okoye, also called Speed Darlington has been granted conditional bail of N20 million by a Federal High court in Abuja after his arraignment over alleged cyberstalking of Grammy award winner, Damini Ogulu, also called Burna Boy.
The court mandated the artist to present a surety who must be a level 10 civil servant residing in Abuja and ordered both the defendant and the surety to submit their international passports.
As part of the artist’s bail conditions, Justice Ekerete Akpan directed that the surety must be employed either by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) or be a federal government worker.
Additionally, the judge required the surety to submit their appointment and most recent promotion letters for verification by the deputy chief registrar.
Judge Akpan ordered the remand Speed Darlington at Kuje Correctional Centre untill the conditions are satisfied, with the next court appearance scheduled for March 18.
Speed Darlington’s legal troubles began on October 4, 2024, when he was initially arrested on allegations of defamation and cyberstalking.
The arrest was linked to a controversial video where Darlington mocked his fellow musician, Damini Ogulu, known professionally as Burna Boy, over his association with American rapper Diddy, who faced legal issues with the FBI for charges related to sexual exploitation.
Burna Boy had reportedly filed a petition against Darlington, leading to his arrest in Lagos and subsequent transfer to Abuja for detention by the Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
After spending five days in custody, Darlington was released on bail on October 9, 2024. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was rearrested on November 27, 2024, in Owerri, Imo State, during a show upon his return to Nigeria.
This second arrest was based on allegations that he had jumped bail, despite claims by his legal team that he had notified the police of a medical emergency and obtained permission to travel.
The situation escalated when Darlington’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, accused the police of rights violations, particularly for not arraigning Darlington within the legally stipulated time frame after his rearrest.
This led to the filing of a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Inspector-General of Police, demanding Darlington’s release or arraignment.
On December 23, 2024, the court ordered his arraignment or unconditional release within 48 hours, an order which the police initially appeared to ignore.
The tension continued into the new year, with Darlington filing a ₦300 million suit against the Inspector-General of Police for unlawful detention. His legal team continued to push for his release, arguing that his continued detention without trial was a breach of his constitutional rights.
