Popular musician, Azeez Fashola alias Naira Marley, and a politician, Babatunde Gbadamosi Wednesday walked into freedom Wednesday following withdrawal of cases against them by Lagos State Government.
Marley, Gbadamosi and his wife were charged before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Ogba for attending a crowded birthday party in violation of the government’s social distancing directive to check the spread of coronavirus.
Though they were to be arraigned on Wednesday, the government withdrew the four counts filed against the three defendants.
The defence counsel, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said the state withdrew the charges on the condition that the defendants would tender an apology to the President Muhammadu Buhari, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Earlier, some policemen had barred journalists and fans of Naira Marley from the court premises
Despite the lockdown was imposed to check the spread of coronavirus, the Marlians appeared around the court on Wednesday in solidarity with the singer who is standing trial for violating the lockdown order in Lagos State.
However, actress Funke Akindele and her husband, Abdul Rasheed Bello were on Monday sentenced to 14-day community service for organizing a party which violated the Lagos State’s lockdown order.
Mrs Aje Afunwa of the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Ogba, who pronounced the sentence, also imposed a fine of N100,000 each on the celebrity husband and wife.
