Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable, will not be spending three months in jail after it was ruled by a judge.
He has now paid a court-imposed fine of ₦30,000 in an assault case to escape jail.
Recall that a Magistrate Court sitting in Ifo, Ogun State, presided over by Chief Magistrate Babajide Ilo, had on Tuesday sentenced the artist to three months in prison with an option of fine.
Portable was found guilty on two counts relating to a physical assault incident that took place in 2022.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Olumide Awoleke, the altercation occurred on November 18, 2022, at about 11:00 a.m. in the Okeosa, Ilogbo area under the Ifo Magisterial District.
Portable and others who are currently at large were said to have conspired to assault one Osimosu Emmanuel Oluwafemi.
The charge sheet detailed that Portable unlawfully beat the victim and also allegedly stole studio equipment, including a Yamaha H55 monitor, interface cables, and an AKG P420 condenser microphone.
The court, however, only found him guilty of the first two charges—conspiracy to assault and unlawful assault.
For these, he was sentenced to one month in prison with a ₦10,000 fine on count one, and two months in prison with a ₦20,000 fine on count two.
The singer, who was first arraigned in April 2023 under charge number MIF/192C/2023, was earlier granted bail of ₦300,000 with two sureties from his family.
His case took a new turn after he failed to attend court sessions, prompting authorities to remand him in custody last week.
He was brought back to court on Tuesday, where he opted to pay the ₦30,000 fine instead of serving the three-month jail term.
