Controversial Nigerian singer, Azeez Fashola, also known as Naira Marley and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Lagos governorship aspirant, Babatunde Gbadamosi could be arraigned in court today.
Although the Lagos State Police Command says it is yet to fix a date for their arraignment, sources say the duo could be arraigned for flouting the social distancing order of the Lagos State Government.
Naira Marley and Gbadamosi were two of the many people that attended a house party hosted by Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele for her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello thereby violating the Infectious Disease Regulation of Lagos State.
On Monday, a magistrates’ court in Ogba, Lagos found Akindele and Bello guilty of the offence.
Chief Magistrate Yewande Aje-Afunwa sentenced the couple to a 14-day community service and a fine of N100,000 each.
The Command ordered Marley and the other guests to make themselves available or be declared wanted.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Elkana Bala, said the planned arraignment of the two men did not hold because there were no courts to hear the matter, following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They will be arraigned, but no court is sitting now. Courts don’t sit on Tuesday. They have days they sit now because of this coronavirus. They sat yesterday (Monday), the next sitting will be today,” Bala told The Nation.
Marley, Gbadamosi was detained along with his wife at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) after they turned themselves in.
According a source in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, magistrates’ courts only sit on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 10am and 1pm following a March 30 directive from the Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, in the wake of the COVID-19-induced lockdown.
He hinted that the proposed arraignments would take place Wednesday.
