The Lagos State Government has agreed to withdraw charges against a former governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the state, Babatunde Gbadamosi, his wife, Folashade and popular singer and songwriter, Azeez Fashola, alias Naira Marley for violating the government’s social distancing directive to check the spread of coronavirus.
The government had filed the charge against the defendants before a Lagos State Magistrate Court in Ogba after they attended a birthday party organised by Nollywood star, Funke Akindele Bello in celebration of her husband’s birthday.
Funke and her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skillz were arrested by the police and were arraigned on Monday and sentenced to one week of community service in addition to a fine of N100,000 each.
However, Gbadamosi, his wife and Naira Marley had earlier on Monday turned themselves in to the police and were said to have showed remorse. They also accepted to tender written apologies to the Lagos State Government, as well as to issue undertakings to comply with the directive on lockdown and social distancing, including a stay in isolation for the next 14 day.
This prompted the state government to agree to withdraw the charges against them on the following conditions: That they have to write a formal apology to the Government of Lagos State which will solidify the remorsefulness shown by them; that they have to give an undertaking in writing that they will continue to comply with the directives of Mr. President and Mr. Governor which is the subject matter of the case before the court and that in view of the danger which the state believes they’ve put themselves by attending a gathering exceeding 20 persons, they must agree to go on 14 days isolation to protect other members of the public from any likely danger.
The defendants through their counsel, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) agreed to the conditions after which the court adjourned till tomorrow to enable the prosecutor brief the court on whether or not the defendants met all the conditions.