A Chief Magistrate Court in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State has sentenced controversial street-hop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, to three months in prison with an option of a N30,000 fine after finding him guilty of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
The judgment was delivered by Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo, who ruled that the musician was guilty of Counts 1 and 2 in the case presented by the Nigeria Police Force.
Okay.ng reports that Portable was first arrested in March 2023 following an incident in which he physically attacked a police inspector and obstructed officers who were attempting to serve him with an arrest warrant. The confrontation, which was widely circulated online at the time, occurred in the Okeosa, Ilogbo area under the jurisdiction of the Ifo Magisterial District.
According to Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, the offense took place on November 18, 2022, at about 11:00 am. The charge sheet presented to the court contained three counts, including conspiracy to commit felony, assault, and theft of music production equipment.
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.”
While the court ruled Portable guilty on the first two counts conspiracy to commit assault and unlawful assault, he was not convicted on the third charge relating to theft.
In sentencing, Chief Magistrate Ilo imposed one month’s imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine for Count 1, and two months’ imprisonment with an option of N20,000 fine for Count 2.
Portable has since been given the option to pay N30,000 in total to avoid serving jail time.
