By Akinwale Kasali
Following his failure to appear before the Court on several occasions and jumping bail, despite being found guilty on charges of assault and conspiracy, controversial musician, Habeeb Okikiola, popular as Portable, has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment by a Magistrate Court sitting in Ifo axis of Ogun State.
The singer who recently was freed of alleged charges on threat to life and defamation by a Kwara State High Court having been remanded at Okuta Correctional Center in Kwara State was sentenced barely a year after being arraigned before the Court on charges bordering on assault and theft of musical equipment, as detailed in charge sheet No. MIF/192C/2023.
Delivering the judgement on Wednesday, Chief Magistrate, Babajide Ilo, found the Singer guilty on Two of the Three-Count Charges filed against him.
Portable, who was earlier granted bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties, both of whom were required to be members of his immediate family, jumped bail, by failing to appear in Court during several hearings.
The Court had remanded the singer last Thursday after he failed to appear for several hearings, prompting concerns from the prosecution.
During proceedings, the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, informed the Court that the offences were committed on November 18, 2022, around 11:00 a.m., at Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District.
The Charge Sheet accused Portable and others still at large of conspiring to assault one Emmanuel Oluwafemi Osimosu and for unlawfully beating him.
The charges fall under Sections 517 and 351 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, 2006.
Furthermore, Portable was alleged to have stolen musical instruments on multiple occasions in 2022, including a Yamaha H55 Studio Monitor, Studio 2 Interface Connection Cable, and an AKG P420 Condenser Microphone.
These theft allegations are punishable under Sections 384, 383, and 390 of the Criminal Code.
In his judgment, Magistrate Ilo found the Singer guilty of conspiracy and assault (counts 1 and 2), but acquitted him on the Third Count of Theft.
The Court, however, offered the option of a fine in lieu of the Custodial sentence with N10,000 fine for Count 1 and N20,000 fine for Count 2.
The charge sheet reads: “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 offense 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 offense 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 offense contrary to Sections 384 and 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, Nigeria, 2006.”
Follwing this development, many have hailed the Court for sentencing him, saying that he has constantly been in Court for the wrong reasons; that the long arm of the law has finally caught up with him.
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