Hip Hop star, Burna Boy docked for involvement in armed robbery

Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy

The Lagos State Police, on Monday arraigned dancehall/hip hop muscian, Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy for his alledged role in the robbery of his fellow muscian,  Abiye David Jombo aka Mr 2Kay. 

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 invited singer Burna Boy in connection to the robbery, but the muaician honored the invitation for two months. He was subsequently arrested and detained after he turned himself in.

  

At Monday's proceedings, Burna Boy who was dressed in T shirt and blue jean trousers 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 moat 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 while 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 watching 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 presiding Magistrate, Mrs.  B. O Osunsanmi granted Burna Boy bail of N100, 000 with two responsible aureties, while the matter was adjourned till December 29 for trial to commence.

There was however a mild drama as Burna Boy was sheilded by security operatives who prevented reporters from taking his pictures. 

He was whisked away in a ash coloured Toyota Sienna. According to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos state command Edgal Imohimi, the suspects were paid to 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 jewellery 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.