The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday granted state pardon to Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele-Bello, aka Jenifa, her husband, Abdulrasheed, aka JJC Skillz, as well as 56 inmates from various correctional centres in the state.
Akindele-Bello and her husband who were non-custodial convicts were sentenced to community service in April for holding a crowded house birthday party in breach of the government’s COVID-19 lockdown prevention protocols.
The attorney general and commissioner for justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo who disclosed this in a statement said the governor acted based on the recommendations of the eight-member 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 commissioner also stated that 56 released inmates were also recommended by the Advisory Council for pardon 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.
Onigbanjo enjoined the beneficiaries of the prerogative of mercy to be good citizens and stay away from crime.
However, a lawyer and activist, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, has said the state pardon granted to actress will not stop him from pressing on with the lawsuit he filed against the state government.
Though the couple had served their punishment, Ogungbeje had gone to court to challenge the constitutionality of the Lagos State law pursuant to which the couple and other residents arrested for flouting COVID-19 guidelines were convicted and sentenced.
He prays the court to invalidate the Lagos State law and nullify the conviction of everyone tried under the law.
He said the state pardon was preemptive of his lawsuit coming up for hearing on October 13.
“They know the case we filed is coming up on Tuesday, so the government quickly pardoned them today (Friday). They have agreed with us after all, that the process was flawed. They had seen the handwriting on the wall.
“It shows that we must continue to hold government accountable but that doesn’t stop us from continuing our case because other people are involved. This will not stop our case, which has been fixed for Tuesday.”
