Burna Boy Docked For Robbery, Conspiracy In Lagos
Dancehall act, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as ‘Burna Boy’ was on Monday, arraigned before a Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ikeja for accessory after the fact of robbery by the police.
Burna Boy was docked for his alleged role in the robbery of another Nigerian musician, Abiye David Jombo, a.k.a Mr 2Kay.
According to a police report, Mr 2Kay was robbed at gunpoint in his hotel room at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on October 22, during the ‘Buckwyld N Breathless’ concert where he also performed.
The Lagos state police command had invited singer Burna Boy in connection to the robbery, but the musician refused to honour the invitation for two months.
He was subsequently arrested and detained after he turned himself in last week Friday.
At Monday’s proceedings, Burna Boy, who was dressed in a Tshirt and blue jeans pleaded not guilty to the two count charge of ‘accessory after the fact’ and ‘conspiracy’.
According to the Prosecutor, Inspector N. Peters, Burna Boy did not disclose to security operatives what he knew about the armed robbery which took place on the 22nd of October.
Burna Boy’s lawyer, Bright Idahosa, asked the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms, a move which was not opposed by the police prosecutor.
However, lawyers for Eko Hotel and Suites and Mr 2Kay’s record label, Grafton Entertainment, opposed the bail application, insisting that Burna Boy is a key witness in a sister case where the main suspects in the armed robbery case against Mr 2Kay are standing trial.
Specifically, Tayo Reju, holding brief for Eko Hotel and Suites pointed out that should Burna Boy be granted bail, it would jeopardize the sister case at a Lagos State Magistrate Court.
After listening to both parties, the trial Magistrate, Mrs. B. O Osunsanmi granted Burna Boy bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two responsible sureties, while the matter was adjourned till December 29 for trial to commence.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state command, Edgal Imohimi, the suspects were paid N50,000 before the attack on Mr. 2Kay and another N50,000 was paid directly by Burna boy after the job was done.
Mr 2Kay was robbed of his Audemars Piguet, an automatic gold wristwatch valued at $25,000; gold jewelry valued at N1.5m; an iPhone 7 valued at N380,000, a Samsung Galaxy S7 valued at N240,000, Samsung Galaxy S5 worth N110,000; Adidas shoes valued at N75,000; three bottles of perfume worth N180,000, and a cash sum of N45,000.
Joel Kantiock, Burna Boy’s road manager, was paraded among the robbery suspects alongside Balogun Ademola, Obinna Igwe, and Tunmise Omotore, who were subsequently arraigned in court.
