By News Desk
Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele-Bello, and her husband, Abdul-Rasheed Bello professionally known as JJC, and other guests at the party organised in their house last weekend will undergo compulsory 14 days isolation at any of the centers in Lagos State.
The party was organised by Akindele-Bello in their house to celebrate his husband’s birthday which was attended by celebrities and a notable politician, Lagos ex-gubernatorial candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi.
Also at the birthday party was Nigerian hip-hop star, Azeez Fashola, a.k.a Naira Marley, who has been tagged by many as a controversial artist due to his persistent outburst on National issues especially those that affect his fan group known as Marlians.
The isolation which everyone present at the birthday party held in Amen Estate, Lekki, the community where Akindele-Bello and her husband reside, must subject themselves to, does not prevent other punishment prescribed by the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.
Since the law came into existence, it has given legal backing to the ongoing enforcement of restrictive measures being taken by the State Government to contain the spread of the virus. One of the major measures was social distancing which was the aspect of the law violated by everyone present at the party.
Every attendee at the party acted contrary to the social distancing directives made in pursuant to Regulation 8(1)(a) and (b) & 17(1)(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 and therefore committed an offence under Section 58 of the Public Health Law Cap P16 Vol. 9, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The reason for their isolation, according to Government, was that everyone irrespective of their age falls in the category of people identified in section 6 of the law, which states that all attendees and organisers have become Potentially Infectious Persons.
According to the law, the 14 days isolation compelled on the multi-award-winning actress, her husband, and other guests will be done according to the prescription of the Lagos State Government health officials to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the state.
Also, Section 6 (3) of the law empowers Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct how a potential infectious person within a local area goes into isolation for an initial period of 14 days.
For Akindele-Bello’s children, if they were present at the party, the law in section 6 (4a) further empowers the governor to direct that their parents or guardian take them to a place specified for screening and assessment to ensure the child has not been infected.
For Akindele-Bello and her husband, aside from undergoing isolation, Chief Magistrate Y. O Aje Afunwa, in her judgment, said that the defendants are to pay a fine of 100,000 each after been sentenced to 14-days community service, three hours per day, excluding Saturday and Sunday;
The Magistrate added that each Defender shall visit 10 important public places within the state to educate the public on the consequences of non-compliance with the restriction order, and they must submit the names and phone numbers of every person who attended the party.
According to Aje Afunwa, this would possibly serve as a warning to other residents that every aspect of the law must not adhere to by citizens.
