NOLLYWOOD actress Funke Akindele and her husband Abdul Bello have been sentenced to do 14 days community service and fined N100,000 each after being found guilty of flouting the Lagos State Coronavirus Pandemic Prevention Law.
Last week, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a bill, titled A Law to Combat and Stop the Spread of Corona Virus Pandemic in Lagos State and for Connected Purposes, into law. It empowers the security agencies to arrest without warrant and detain any person who violates the close-down or stay at home order for at least 48 hours.
Ms Akindele had been facing the prospect of one month in prison three months community service or a fine of N100,000 ($263) after being arraigned for flouting the Lagos State Coronavirus Pandemic Prevention Law. Anyone arrested and found guilty of flouting the law is liable to a fine of N100,000, one-month imprisonment or three months community service.
Ms Akindele was charged with breaking the law this morning and appeared before the Ogba Magistrate Court, where she and her husband were arraigned after they threw a party over the weekend. On Saturday, Ms Akindele organised a house party to celebrate the birthday of her husband Abdul Bello, popularly known as JJC, at her residence in Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos.
Several dignitaries that attended the party included Naira Marley and Babatunde Gbadamosi, a former Lagos state governorship aspirant among others. This morning, she was subsequently arrested by the police and a prosecuting team from the Directorate of Public Prosecution charged her to court.
According to the charge sheet, Ms Akindele and Mr Bello were in breach of the Lagos State Infectious Disease Emergency Prevention Regulation 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58 of the Public Health Laws of Lagos 2015. Ms Akindele and Mr Bello pleaded guilty to the charge after they were charged with holding a gathering of more than 20 people.
In the judgement, the judge ruled that Funke and her husband are to serve three hours per day excluding Saturday and Sunday. They must each visit 10 public places to educate people on the consequences of not complying with directives on coronavirus and the court also directed them to pay a fine of N100,000 each.
