Portable charged for defamation, given N1M guarantees

The Upper Area Court in Ilorin, the state of Kwara, on Monday gave a guarantee to the controversial singer, Okikiola Badmus, aka Portable.

The singer was arrested by people from the Kwara State Police Command on Saturday in Abeokuta after the petition by another music star, Saheed Osupa.

He was later charged with many criminal charges.

The accusations include defamation, intimidation, disruption of public disorders, and cyberstalking, all of them come from a series of new online videos and public explosions who once again put singers in the legal and public supervision center.

In his decision, Chief Judge, Sunday Adeniyi, gave a portable guarantee for ₦ 1 million with two guarantees in the same amount.

One guarantee must be the chairman or secretary of the Association of Musicians Nigeria (PMAN), while the second must have a landing property in the Government Area (GRA), supported by a valid residential certificate.

Also read: Portable begs Osupa for forgiveness after its arrest due to defamation

The courtroom was tense but calm when the accusation was read, with a portable appearance subdued compared to his public personality who was usually flamboyant.

The legal counsel representing the singer convinced the court about his client’s willingness to comply with all directions during this case.

This is not the first time Portable found himself entangled in legal matters because of his often uncertain social media behavior and provocative statements.

However, the latest accusations reflect broader concerns by the authorities about the trend that develops from defamation of cyberspace and public incitement through digital platforms.

The judge postponed this case until April 30 for further trials.

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