By Comrade Nnadi Goodluck
Multiple award winning actress, Funke Akindele and her husband, JJC Skillz have been convicted and fined N100,000 each by an Ogba Magistrate Court for flouting the Lagos Infection Diseases Regulations 2020.
The judgement was delivered by Magistrate Mrs Yewande Olayemi Aje-Afunwa who also ordered the defendants to pay N100,000 naira each as fine.
According to the magistrate, the couple must serve 14 days community service and will also observe period of isolation thereafter.
The couple who were arraigned before Magistrate Aje-Afunwa pleaded guilty to the one-count charge brought against them by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.
Onigbanjo told the court that Funke and her husband Bello, flouted the directive of the Lagos state Governor when they gathered more than 20 people at their Lekki home.
The charge reads: ‘That you, Funke Akindele, Abdul Rasheed Bello on the 4th day of April 2020 at 9, Gbadamosl Close, Amen Estate, lbeju Lekki in the Lagos Magisterial District gathered at the aforementioned address with over twenty persons contrary to the social distancing directives of Mr Governor of Lagos State made pursuant to Regulation 8(1)(a) & (b) and 17(1)“) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease(Emergency Prevention)Regulation 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58 Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol.9 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.’
The couple who were represented by their lawyer, Abayomi Alagbada, however, pleaded for leniency after pleading guilty to the charge.
Alagbada said: I plead for leniency on the following grounds; both of them are first offenders, they are respectable members of society and have two young children”.
Following the defendants guilty plea, Onigbanjo asked the court to sentence them accordingly.
After taking their plea, Magistrate Aje-Afunwa stood the matter down for 30 minutes and went into her chamber.
Naira Marley now in police custody
While reacting to the sentence, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, disclosed that Naira Marley has now turned himself in and will also be charged to court for violating the restriction orders.
“The command has launched a manhunt for the remaining persons who attended the party.
“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu psc expressed his profound gratitude to Lagosians and other well meaning Nigerians that speak up against the violations.
“Together we can stop the spread of COVID-19.” He said.