A deal was reached between the Lagos State Government and Afeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley before charges against him for violation of the COVID-19 lockdown were dropped.
On Thursday, the controversial artist agreed to shoot a video against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, in conjunction with the government.
Marley, through a letter, told an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court that he would also bear the cost.
“I hereby undertake to join the Lagos the Lagos State campaign against the spread of the COVID-19 by making a free audio-visual publication towards the campaign against COVID-19,” Marley appealed to Chief Magistrate Yewande Aje-Afunwa.
Mrs. Aje-Afunwa approved the withdrawal of the charge.
Similarly, She approved the withdrawal of the charge against a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Babatunde Gbadamosi and his wife, Folashade.
The defence team had Olawale Akoni (SAN) for Gbadamosi, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) for Mrs Gbadamosi, and Damilola Ayinde-Marshall for Naira Marley.
Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yhaqub Oshoala, told the court that the Gbadamosis and Marley had accepted all conditions.
“They agreed to work with the government to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic”, he said.
The conditions include that they must individually write an apology letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, go into self-isolation for 14 days and report back to the court.
“Upon the oral application made by the Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Attorney-General of Lagos State pursuant to Sections 71 and 73 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) and pursuant to the fact that the three defendants have complied with conditions for the withdrawal of the charge, the unchallenged application for withdrawal of the charge, leave is hereby granted to the Attorney-General of Lagos to withdraw the charge.
“The three defendants are hereby discharged”, Aje-Afunwa ruled.
Responding to Adegboruwa’s application that the charges be struck out, the Chief Magistrate said: “The plea of the defendants have not been taken, so all the DPP needs to do is to withdraw the charge”.
The trio were docked in court on Wednesday, but their pleas were not taken.
In the four-count charge marked MK/A/44/2020, the defendants and others at large committed the offences last Saturday at No 9, Gbadamosi Close, Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki.
They were accused of flouting the lockdown imposed by the Nigerian and Lagos governments.
The DPP said the state stepped down the charges due to advice from Attorney-General, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN).
On Monday, Funke and JJC were sentenced after they pleaded guilty to hosting an event that had over twenty persons in attendance.
The offence was contrary to the social distancing directives under Regulation 8(1)(a) and (b) & 17(1)(i) of the Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020.
