… to pay fine of 100,000, observe 14 days isolation.
An Ogba Chief Magistrate Court on Monday sentenced Nollywood Actress, Funke Akindele Bello aka Jenifa, and her husband, Abdul Raheed Bello aka JJC Skillz to a 14 days community service.
The court also fined the couple for N100,000 naira each, after which they will observe a period of isolation.
The celebrity couple were earlier arraigned by Lagos State Government on a one-count charge before Chief Magistrate Y. O Aje Afunwa sitting in Ogba.
The celebrity couple organised a birthday party at their Lagos residence at Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki which violates the 14-day lockdown directive of the State government.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had earlier barred all social gatherings of more than 20 people while advising on the social distancing to curb the spread of the global pandemic.
The defendants were arrested by the police and arraigned by the State government for violating the social distancing directive to prevent spread of coronavirus.
Lagos State Attorney-General/ Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN who led the prosecution, urged the court to sentence the defendants accordingly, having pleaded guilty to the charge.
He noted that the offence committed contravenes the social distancing directive of the government as stated in the country’s Infectious Diseases Act.
The charge dated April 6, 2020, number MIK/A/43/2020, stated, “That you (1) Funke Akindele (2) Abdul Rasheed Bello on the 4th day of April 2020 at 9,Gbadamosi Close, Amen Estate, Ibeju 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 PreventionMegu/atian 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58 Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol.9 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In his plea for leniency, the Defence Counsel, Mr Abayomi Alagbada said: “the defendants are first time offenders and very respectable members of the society, and two young children who need the attention of their parents and one of them is very ill” he added
The Chief Magistrate Y. O Aje Afunwa found the couple guilty as charged under Section 58, Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol.9 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In her words, the Chief Magistrate said, “You are hereby sentenced to 14 days community service for breach of social distancing directives and you are to pay the sum of N100,000 naira each as fine and thereafter to observe the period of Isolation”, she declared
The Magistrate directed that the community service should start from 9am to 12pm each day.
The defendants were ordered to sensitise members of the public in ten major areas in the state about coronavirus.