Singer, Dammy Krane, arraigned for threat to life

The Lagos State Police Command, on Monday, arraigned singer, Johnson Oyindamola, popularly known as Dammy Krane, before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere for alleged defamation and threat to life.

Dammy Krane was arraigned on three counts of threat to life, defamation and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The musician was alleged to have threatened the lives of staff members of a betting company, Merrybet Gold Limited, on July 25, 2019, and also released a song in which he accused the firm of a breach of contract.

According to the prosecutor, J. I. Enang, Dammy Krane threatened the betting company by posting an audio and video message on the radio in contravention of Section 168 (d) of the Lagos State Criminal Law.

Enang had told the court that the musician attended a game show sponsored by the betting company but lost, adding that Dammy Krane demanded some money for appearing on the show but the firm disagreed, insisting that money was only given to winners.

The embittered musician subsequently went on the radio and accused the firm of owing him and breaching a contractual agreement.

Dammy Krane was also accused of conspiring with others at large to conduct himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace and threat to life in contravention of Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The charges read in part, “That you, Johnson Hunga Oyindamola, and others at large, on July 29, 2019, at Cool FM in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and threat to life, thereby committing offences punishable under Section 412 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Johnson Hunga Oyindamola, and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did threaten the life of the staff of Merrybet Gold Limited, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 301 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The act was said to contravene sections 301, 412 and 168 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The singer’s counsel, Adebayo Oniyelu, urged the court to grant him bail in liberal terms as he was a first-time offender, adding that he would be produced in court whenever he was needed.

“We humbly apply for the bail of the defendant; Section 35(5) of the law states that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. He is a well-known and a popular musician; if granted bail, he will be made available. He has been in police custody since Friday, September 13,” Oniyelu stated.

Opposing the bail application, Enang noted that the offences were a national issue, adding that it had been on the radio and in newspapers that the defendant would be arraigned.

Reacting to the opposition to the bail, Oniyelu noted that the defendant and the complainant had a disagreement over a breach of contract but a representative of the firm, Otemu Anaonye, told the court that the company did not owe the musician.

After listening to the parties, Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku granted the singer bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

She adjourned the matter till October 11 for mention.