Controversial Nigerian singer Habeeb Olalomi Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment after being convicted by Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo on Tuesday.
The judgement, delivered at the Ifo Magistrate Court, found Portable guilty on two of the three counts levied against him, which included assault and the theft of musical equipment.
In the ruling, Chief Magistrate Ilo stated that the singer was guilty of the first two charges and sentenced him to one month in prison with a N10,000 fine option for Count 1 (assault conspiracy), and two months with a N20,000 fine option for Count 2 (unlawful assault). Count 3, which involved theft of musical instruments, was not upheld.
Tribune Online reported that Portable was initially arraigned in April 2023, on a three-count charge bordering on assault and theft, as outlined in charge sheet No. MIF/192C/2023. He was granted bail at the time, set at N300,000 with two sureties from his immediate family.
However, he was remanded last Thursday after failing to attend several court sittings despite repeated adjournments.
Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, told the court that the offences took place on November 18, 2022, at approximately 11:00 hrs in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District.
“That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, and others now at large, on the 18th day of November 2022 at 11:00 hrs, in Okeosa, Ilogbo, within the Ifo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit: assault, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State 2006.
“That you, Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi, on the same date, time, and place in the aforementioned district, did unlawfully assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi (male) by beating him all over his body
“That you, Badmus Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, on various occasions in the year 2022, did steal some musical equipment, including a Yamaha H55 studio monitor, a complete Studio 2 interface connection cable, and an AKG P420 condenser…”
Despite his repeated run-ins with law enforcement, this marks the first time the singer has been convicted and sentenced.