An Abeokuta Magistrate’s Court has adjourned the case against popular musician Habeeb Okikiola, a.k.a. Portable, to March 26 to enable the prosecution to merge his charges with those of his workers.
When the case against the artist resumed on Wednesday after his earlier arraignment on Feb. 20, the prosecution told the court that it would be a waste of the court’s time to hear the case of Portable and that of his workers separately.
Mr Timileyin Oredein, Senior State Counsel, told the court that Portable’s case had a sister case, which needed to be merged before the trial begins.
Oredein reminded the court that the musician and nine of his workers were earlier arraigned on Feb. 6 on similar charges.
He said that it would be time-wasting if the defendants were tried separately.
Oredein prayed the court to give a short date for the charges to be merged and substituted.
Portable and his workers were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, assault, unlawful obstruction while armed with cutlasses and a gun, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
They were also arraigned for allegedly assaulting three officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.