Criminal Conviction: Lagos govt pardons Funke Akindele, husband over breach of COVID-19 regulations

The Lagos State Government has granted pardon to actress, Funke Akindele, and her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, who had been convicted for an offence related to the disobedience of COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

In a statement signed on Friday, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, noted that the couple was granted pardon because they were non-custodial convicts.

On April 5, the actress and her husband popularly known as JJC Skillz were arrested and the following day, they were charged to court for violating the COVID-19 restriction orders in Lagos.

They were also fined 100,000 each after videos of a birthday party organised in their house, surfaced online showing little to no social distancing.

Thereafter, they were sentenced to 14 days of community service.

But the statement on Friday, revealed that they had been granted state pardon.

It further revealed that 56 inmates from various correctional Centres were also granted state pardon.

“A statement signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, said Mr. Sanwo-Olu acted based on the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, under the powers conferred on the Governor by Section 212 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” the statement read in part.

“The 56 released inmates were recommended by the Advisory Council after due examination of their case files and consideration of the length of time served, the gravity of offence, old age and ill-health among other parameters.

“The Attorney General has also enjoined the beneficiaries to be good citizens and stay away from crime”.

The eight-member Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by Dr. Abayomi Finnih was inaugurated by Governor Sanwo-Olu in December 2019. (Channels TV)