Funke Akindele, husband plead guilty for flouting lockdown directive

By Victor Akuma

Nigerian actress, Funke Akindele and her husband Abdul Rasheed Bello, have pleaded guilty to the charge brought against them by the Lagos State Government for violating the social distancing order with a recent birthday party.

The couple were arrested on Sunday, hours after the movie star’s husband threw a party to celebrate his birthday despite the ongoing lockdown order to combat spread of coronavirus in the state.

They were consequently arraigned on a one-count charge before a  Magistrate Court sitting in Ogba, Lagos, on Monday for breaching the Lagos Infection Diseases Regulations 2020 Act.

The charge read: “That you (1) Funke Akindele (2) Abdul Rasheed 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 twenty persons contrary to the social distancing directives of Mr Governor of Lagos State made pursuant to Regulation 8(29)(a) & (b) and 17(1)(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 58 Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol 9 Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”

The couple pleaded guilty to the charge brought against them at the court.