- Nigerian Lawyer Ayo Shonaiya Weighs in on the Ongoing Legal Battle Between Speed Darlington (Akpi) and Afrobeat Star Burna Boy.
- Akpi mocked Burna Boy’s friendship with Diddy, leading to Akpi’s initial arrest. After his release following his mother’s public plea, Akpi resumed his attacks on Burna Boy, resulting in his rearrest.
- Ayo Shonaiya clarifies that Burna Boy’s legal actions against Akpi are not oppressive, warning that continued defamation could lead to further arrests.
- Shonaiya accuses Barrister Deji Adeyanju of confusing legal actions with activism, stressing that defamation is not protected under freedom of speech.
Nigerian lawyer and filmmaker Ayo Shonaiya has weighed in on the ongoing legal battle between Afrobeat star Burna Boy and controversial internet personality Speed Darlington, also known as Akpi.
Shonaiya’s comments came after Barrister Deji Adeyanju, representing Akpi, accused Burna Boy of allegedly re-arresting his client for defamation.
The saga began when Akpi mocked Burna Boy for his friendship with American rap mogul Diddy, who had been embroiled in allegations of controversial behavior.
In response, Burna Boy took legal action, leading to Akpi’s initial arrest. However, Akpi was later released after his mother publicly pleaded for his son’s forgiveness online.
Despite this, Akpi continued his online attacks against Burna Boy, prompting the singer to have him rearrested shortly after his return to Nigeria.
In response to the situation, Shonaiya made it clear that Burna Boy’s legal actions were not oppressive or harassing.
He emphasized that Akpi’s ongoing defamatory remarks, especially while out on bail, could lead to further legal consequences. Shonaiya warned that if Akpi continued his actions, he would face re-arrest.
Taking to social media, Shonaiya wrote:
‘’I believe Deji Adeyanju is confusing being a Lawyer with being an Activist. A Plaintiff taking legal action against someone who’s defaming him is NOT oppression or harassment.
“If your Client keeps doing the same thing he was arrested for in the first place, especially while out on Bail, he will get rearrested. Simple. His Clients don’t know the difference between defamatory statements and freedom of speech, and it’s looking like he also doesn’t”
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