By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, who has been declared wanted following a violent confrontation with officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, could potentially avoid jail time by invoking the defense of insanity.
The incident, which took place in the Oke-Osa area of Tigbo Ilu Ota, Ogun State, saw Portable allegedly attacking three enforcement officers after they confronted his elderly father.
Armed with a firearm and accompanied by nine armed thugs, the singer reportedly led the assault, leaving the officials with various injuries.
However, Portable’s defense might lie in his claims of mental health struggles, which he raised in an emotional Instagram post following the incident.
Portable has asserted that he is mentally unstable and undergoing treatment for his condition at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Aro, Abeokuta.
In his post, he revealed his diagnosis and claimed a medical card as evidence of his treatment, claiming that he is “a madman” who takes medications regularly.
The singer’s attempt to present his mental health as a mitigating factor could prove pivotal in his legal defense.
Under Nigerian law, specifically Section 28 of the Criminal Code Act, a person who commits an act while suffering from a mental illness or natural mental infirmity may not be held criminally responsible if their condition prevents them from understanding the nature of their actions or knowing that their conduct is wrong.
In other words, if Portable can prove that his mental state at the time of the violent confrontation deprived him of the capacity to control his actions, he may be deemed legally insane and therefore not criminally liable for his actions.
However, the law also addresses the potential use of delusions as a defense. If Portable’s actions were influenced by delusions, but his mental illness does not fully qualify him for the insanity defense, he would still be held responsible for his actions, albeit to a lesser extent.
This could complicate his case if his mental health claims do not meet the full legal requirements for the defense.
The police, who have filed reports on the incident, arrested nine of Portable’s associates at the scene, but the singer fled and remains on the run. The case has now been escalated to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further action.
As the investigation continues, legal experts will likely scrutinize Portable’s claims of mental instability to determine whether the defense of insanity is applicable in his case. If successful, it could result in a verdict that significantly reduces or even eliminates the potential for jail time, allowing Portable to avoid criminal responsibility for the violent altercation.
