Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has granted State pardon to Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele-Bello and her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, widely known as JJC Skills, who were both convicted for violating COVID-19 lockdown regulation.
The pardon by Governor Sanwo-Olu was disclosed in a statement signed by the
Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, who quoted the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN.
According to the Commissioner, Governor 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 Nollywood star actress and her music artiste husband had incurred the wrath of the Lagos government when they hosted a birthday party for Skillz and invited giests to their home during the Coronavirus lockdown, thereby violating laid down protocols that were aimed at combatting the pandemic.
The couple were pronounced guilty and sentenced by a Magistrate’s Court in Ogba in a non-custodial sentence.
The Governor also approved the release of 56 inmates from various Correctional Centres in the State.
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.
Lending some advice to the beneficiaries, the Attorney General also enjoined them 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.
