Sanwo-Olu grants Funke Akindele, husband State pardon

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has granted State pardon to Mrs Funke Akindele-Bello and her husband, Mr Abdulrasheed Bello, who are both non-custodial convicts for offences related to the disobedience of COVID-19 lockdown regulations.

A statement signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, said Sanwo-Olu acted based on the recommendations of the state advisory council on the prerogative of mercy.

Recall that Akindele and her hubby, better known as JJC Skillz, were on April 6 arrested and arraigned before a magistrate court for hosting a party at their Lekki home on April 4. The party was to mark the birthday of JJC Skillz.

The Lagos Magistrate Court in Ogba sentenced the sensational actress and her husband for breaching COVID-19 lockdown order. They were sentenced to three weeks of community service and directed to pay a fine of N100,000 each.

The sentence was given by Chief Magistrate Yewande Aje-Afunwa at the Ogba Magistrate Court on Monday, April 6, 2020, after the celebrity couple were found guilty of hosting the house party during the government-ordered lockdown.

According to the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the prerogative of mercy was under the powers conferred on the Governor by Section 212 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Sanwo-Olu 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 the offence, old age and ill-health among other parameters.

The Attorney General 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 Governor Sanwo-Olu in December 2019.