Funke Akindele, husband sentenced to 14-day community service

Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele and her husband, Abdul Rasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz have been sentenced to 14-day community service and N100,000 fine each for holding a party amidst Coronavirus lockdown in Lagos State.

They were both charged to Court for violating restriction orders in Lagos on Monday by the the police at the Chief Magistrate Court 1 Ogba, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

They were brought to Court by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of investigation, DCP Yetunde Longe.

The prosecuting team was led by the Hon Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.

The charge was read to the accused persons by the Court and they pleaded guilty. The Court found them guilty as charged and sentenced as follows: The defendants are to pay a fine of 100,000 each, sentenced to 14 days community service, three hours per day, excluding Saturday and Sunday.

Also, each defender shall visit 10 important public places within Lagos State to educate the public on the consequences of non compliance with the restriction order; and they must submit the names and phone numbers of every person who attended the party.

The court also ordered that they shall be placed on isolation by the State Government to determine their COVID-19 status and that failure to abide by the above directives shall attract more severe punishments.

The brief facts of the case as contained in the charge are: “On 04/04/2020, the two accused persons held a party at their residents with over twenty persons in attendance contrary to the social distancing directives made in pursuant to Regulation 8(1)(a) and (b) & 17(1)(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 and therefore committed an offence under Section 58 of the Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol. 9, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

“The suspects were arrested by operatives of Lagos State Police Command following a viral video showing a large number of persons mainly in the entertainment industry in an Estate, along Ajah, Ibeju-Lekki axis, Lagos celebrating a birthday party organised by Funke Akindele Bello and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello.