An aged Fela Anikulapo Kuti in the docket at the Special Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal in Lagos in 1997.
On January 14, 1997, about 100 or more people (including minors) were arrested when officials of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) then led by Maj-Gen. Musa Bamaiyi raided Fela's popular shrine location. During a live TV broadcast Bamaiyi and Fela disagreed about the harmful nature of Indian Hemp.
FELA'S CLEVER 'TRAP' - Femi Falana, Fela's lawyer noted that Fela played a fast one on the NDLEA by signing his interrogation charge sheet with the comment "in chains" next to his signature. When the NDLEA counsel tried to oppose Fela's bail application by referencing Fela's "written confessional statement", Femi Falana convinced the court to dismiss the statement because it was obtained under duress!! Fela subsequently sued the NDLEA N100M for violating his fundamental rights to fair hearing, personal liberty and human dignity.
A now embarrassed NDLEA offered to discontinue the criminal charge and pleaded with Fela to withdraw his civil suit. According to Falana, when he asked Fela whether the NDLEA's proposal was acceptable, he responded .
Source: Punch & The Nation.
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