Breaking News: Speed Darlington Re-Arrested for Alleged Bail Jumping: Lawyer Denies Claims
Nigerian singer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has been re-arrested in Owerri, Imo State, over allegations of jumping bail. His counsel, Stan Alieke, has denied the claims, stating that the singer's inability to meet bail conditions was due to a medical emergency.
Alieke revealed in a statement released on Tuesday that Speed Darlington was first arrested in October 2024 over a petition linked to singer Burna Boy. Following five days of detention, he was granted administrative bail on October 8, with a requirement to report back at a later date.
“Our client was granted bail after being illegally detained for five days. He was unable to report back as scheduled due to a medical emergency that required him to travel abroad for treatment,” Alieke explained.
The lawyer added that Speed Darlington had planned to return to Abuja after his Owerri performance, in consultation with his legal team and police officials.
“It was never his intention to jump bail,” Alieke stated, accusing the police of attempting to embarrass and violate his client’s rights.
The arrest reportedly came at the orders of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Bureau. Alieke described the move as unnecessary and a misuse of police authority.
Speed Darlington’s legal team has vowed to challenge the actions taken against him while reiterating the singer's commitment to addressing the allegations in court.