Funke Akindele
A suit challenging the conviction of popular actress, Funke Akindele, her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello (JJC Skillz), and 236 others will be heard on July 10. A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed the hearing date on which a lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, will be seeking a declaration that the law upon which Akindele and others were convicted is inconsistent with the 1999 constitution.
Akindele and others were arrested, tried and convicted for violating the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.
The movie producer had hosted a birthday party in her Lagos residence to celebrate her husband’s birthday.
But Ogungbeje is arguing that the arrest, arraignment, trial, conviction and sentencing of the Akindeles and others lacks legal backing, insisting that the offence for which they were convicted was unknown to the law and could not be grounds for criminal liability.
Said Ogungbede: “I have a duty to protect and defend the sanctity of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from any contravention or infraction”.
He cited an Appeal Court’s decision in 2016 involving Faith Okafor vs Lagos State.
Ogungbeje submitted that a violation of such regulation could not result in criminal liability.
