FOLLOWING the adjournment of Afrobeat music singer, Seun Kuti’s trial today by the Chief Magistrates Court in Yaba, Lagos State, foremost flautist, Tee Mac Iseli has appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to magnanimously order his release.
The singer was earlier arrested for assaulting a police officer on the Third Mainland bridge, prompting the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to order his arrest.
The afrobeat musician later turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, in the company of his lawyer and family representative, and was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, where he was eventually detained.
Appealing to the IG of Police Tee Mac expressed disappointment in Seun’s action.
According to Punch, Tee Mac stated that though the singer is like a son to him, it was wrong for him (Seun) to slap a police officer in the manner that he did.
“Seun is like an adopted son to me. When Fela died, Beko handed him over to me. I am not pleased about the situation in which Seun finds himself. I appeal to the IG to release him now,” he pleaded.
Pleading further, Tee Mac noted that Seun’s release is expedient because he has learned a bitter lesson from the ugly experience and there is no need to look for more reasons to punish him.
He said: “He has learned his lesson. It was wrong for Seun to slap a police officer;I agree to that, but it is not good now to look for other things to punish him more. Seun has a hot temper and is surely regretting the whole affair.”
Speaking further, he noted that arresting and detaining Seun was enough punishment already, hence his appeal to the IG for his (Seun’s) release.
“Seun had quite a hard punishment already. But it’s good to be merciful and forgive!”
“Being in the hands of the Nigerian police is the worst punishment one can get. Eating their rotten food, sleeping in those smelling cells! The police are hardly human, they are part of an inhuman society!”
