Popular Nollywood actor, Funke Akindele, and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello a.k.a. JJC Skillz (music crooner and producer), have both been handed a sentence of 14 days community service (9am-12pm daily), fine of 100,000 naira each, sensitizing the public about Covid-19 in ten major areas, and also going on self-isolation afterwards, for being found guilty by an Ogba Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday, April 6, 2020, for offending social distancing order placed by the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government, in a bid to curtail the spread of the corona virus in Nigeria.
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Funke had on Saturday, April 4, 2020, organized a birthday party for her husband and had over 20 persons in attendance as revealed in the video posted by the multiple-award winning actor on her Twitter handle, which received backlash from Nigerians who felt she was not only disobeying the orders of the government but equally misleading the public which accounts for a large portion of her fans.
The party which was held at the couple’s Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos residence, also had controversial singer, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley in attendance, amongst others including former Lagos State Governorship aspirant, Rasheed Gbadamosi. Yewande Aje-Afunwa, the Chief Magistrate who delivered her judgment on Monday, convicted the celebrity couple on a one count charge which was brought against them by the Lagos State government. Both represented by their counsel, Abayomi Alagbada, Funke and her husband pleaded guilty to the charge dated April 6, 2020, number MIK/A/43/2020 and signed by Yaquib Oshoala, the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Following the guilty plea by both offenders, the defence counsel made a plea for leniency towards his clients and also urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
I plead for leniency on the following grounds. Both of them are first time offenders. They are respectable members of the society and have two young children to cater for.
Abayomi Alagbada
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Magistrate Aje-Afunwa after considering their plea, stood the matter down for close to two hours in other to consider facts of the case and sentencing. It will be recalled that Funke Akindele apologized to the public via her twitter handle following outrage by the public towards the video.
In another development, Dettol Nigeria while reacting to the arrest of Funke who few weeks back was part of a video campaign organized by Dettol and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to sensitize the public on Covid-19, noted that she is not a brand ambassador and emphasized that the company does not condone any breach of the government’s lockdown order.
We have been made aware through social media that Funke Akindele recently, acting in her personal capacity, had a celebration which is against the caution to the public on social distancing during the covid-19 pandemic. The NCDC partnered with Dettol on a public service message to educate our communities about preventive measures against COVID-19. Funke is not a brand ambassador of the NCDC. As a responsible organisation and brand, Dettol does not condone any breach of the guidelines on Covid-19. As an organisation, we are concerned at the turn of events.We will continue to support NCDC and the Nigerian govt to fight COVID-19
Dettol Nigeria
Source:
The Nationon Line NG
Featured Image Source: Premium Times NG
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