Funke Akindele and her husband were charged to Court for violating restriction orders in Lagos.

On 6th April, 2020 at about 1100hours, Funke Akindele Bello and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello were arraigned in Chief Magistrate Court 1 Ogba on one count charge.

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 lead 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; 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. 

They shall be placed on isolation by the State Government to determine their COVID-19 status. Failure to abide by the above directives shall attract more severe punishments. 

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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. 

It was earlier reported that Actress Funke Akindele and her husband were arrested by operatives of Lagos State Police Command on Sunday following a viral video showing a large number of persons mainly in the entertainment industry in Lagos celebrating a birthday party they organised.

The party was held despite a directive by the Lagos government against such gatherings as the government battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lagos is Nigeria’s most affected state with about 100 COVID-19 cases and two deaths recorded.