Nigerian singer Speed Darlington, whose legal troubles made headlines recently, has regained his freedom after spending two months in police custody. The controversial artist, whose real name is Darlington Achakpo, was arrested on November 27 during a performance in Owerri, Imo State, on charges related to cyberstalking Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.
Darlington was accused of taunting Burna Boy over his association with US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who is currently facing serious charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The singer questioned Burna Boy’s Grammy-winning album Twice As Tall, alleging a sexual relationship between the two men, further escalating tensions between the artists.
On Tuesday evening, Darlington’s lawyer, Stan Alieke, took to Instagram to announce his client’s release. Accompanying photos of the singer, Alieke confirmed that the singer had been freed after two months of detention, calling his incarceration “illegal” and promising to seek justice for the violation of his client’s human rights.
“We are delighted to announce that our client, Mr. Darlington Achakpo, Aka Speed Darlington (Akpi), has regained his freedom after two months of illegal incarceration,” Alieke wrote. “As his legal team, we will ensure that justice is served for the fundamental human rights he was deprived of by the Nigerian Police Force.”
He was charged with cybercrime offences after the Nigerian Police, led by Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, took him to court. The singer pleaded not guilty to two counts of alleged cybercrime. Last week, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted him bail in the sum of N20 million, with the condition of a surety who must be a level 10 civil servant and a resident of Abuja.
The court has set the next hearing for March 18, where the case will be further examined. Darlington’s legal team has vowed to continue advocating for his rights and to challenge the unfair treatment he claims he suffered during his detention.
