Funke Akindele and husband sentenced to 14days

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday Sentenced Nollywood star, Funke Akindele, and her husband, AbdulRasheed Bello, to 14 days community service each for violating social distancing regulation of Lagos State.

Supreme gathered that the couple had admitted guilty before Chief Magistrate Yewande Aje-Afunwa during arraignment on Monday.

Aje-Afunwa also imposed a fine of N100 on each of them and ordered that each of them should be on isolation for 14 days.

According to the charge preferred by the attorney-general of Lagos State, the couple committed the offence on Sunday at Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki.

”You, Funke Akindele and Abdulrasheed 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 20 persons, contrary to the social distancing directive of Mr Governor of Lagos State, made pursuant to Regulation 8 (1) (a) and (b) and 17 (1) (I) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease ( Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58 of the Public Health Law of Lagos State,” prosecution stated in the charge sheet.

The chief magistrate had stood down the case after the couple pleaded guilty. She imposed the sentence when proceedings resumed more than an hour later. Aje-Afunwa described their action as reckless.

“The defendants shall pay a fine of N100,000 within three days from today. They are to serve community service for a period of 14 days – for three hours from 9am-12pm daily – excluding Saturday and Sunday. The community service shall be done in any public place in Lagos.

The defendants shall be made to visit 10 important public places in Lagos State to generate awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of non-compliance with the laws created to curb the spread of the disease.

“In order to ensure that COVID-19 does not spread, the defendants shall be immediately held in isolation for 14 days in a place only known to the Lagos State Ministry of Health,” she added.

The chief magistrate said that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others. The gathering was a reckless and irresponsible act. When thousands have died or have been infected and the whole world is mourning, it is callous for an individual to throw such a huge party.

While governments are paying millions to flatten the curve, the two defendants were strengthening the curve by throwing a party. “Have the two defendants lived up to the expectations of the public and teeming youths that look up to them? The answer is, No,” she said.

The chief magistrate, however, noted that the defendants had no prior criminal record and had looked remorseful. Following social distancing guidelines, less than 20 persons were allowed in the courtroom.

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