Controversial Nigerian musician Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, has avoided a three-month jail term by paying a court-imposed fine of ₦30,000 in an assault case.
The ruling came from a Magistrate Court in Ifo, Ogun State, presided over by Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo, who handed down a three-month sentence with the option of a fine.
Portable was convicted on two counts stemming from a 2022 physical assault incident. According to Police Prosecutor Inspector Olumide Awoleke, the event occurred on November 18, 2022, around 11:00 a.m. in the Okeosa, Ilogbo area within the Ifo Magisterial District.
The singer, along with others still at large, was accused of conspiring to assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi. The charge sheet also claimed he stole studio equipment, including a Yamaha H55 monitor, interface cables, and an AKG P420 condenser microphone. However, the court only convicted him of conspiracy to assault and unlawful assault.
He received a one-month sentence or ₦10,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, and a two-month sentence or ₦20,000 fine for the unlawful assault charge.
Initially arraigned in April 2023 under charge number MIF/192C/2023, Portable had been granted bail set at ₦300,000 with two family-member sureties. The case escalated after he repeatedly missed court sessions, leading to his remand last week.
He was returned to court on Tuesday, where he chose to pay the ₦30,000 fine in lieu of serving the prison term.
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