Lockdown violation: Funke Akindele, husband get 14 days sentence, to undergo coronavirus test
The famous Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele and her husband Abdulrasheed Bello were on Monday sentenced to 14 days community service for violating a Government lockdown order against the ravaging coronavirus.
Penpushing reports that, the Magistrate, Aje Afunwa . while convicting the couple also ruled that, they should be placed on isolation by the Lagos State Government to determine their coronavirus status, stressing that failure to abide by the directives shall attract more severe punishments.
The convicts were arraigned by the police from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of investigation, Yetunde Longe before Magistrate Court in Ogba, while the prosecuting team was led by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo.
Penpushing further reports that, when the one cunt charge was read to the couple, they admitted committing the crime, hence, the court did not waste time in sentencing them, with declaration that, 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.
The Magistrate emphasized that, each of the convict 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.
Penpushing also reports that, the judge ruled, ’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’.
The charge reads “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. ”
‘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.
