Iseyin-born senior advocate, Alhaji Ahmed Raji, has said that that in the eyes of the law, popular Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele and her husband are now ex-convicts.
Raji, however, said that the development would not debar Akindele and Bello from holding political offices in the country since the offence did not involve financial misappropriation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Akindele and her husband, popularly called JJC Skillz, on April 4, held a party at their residence with over 20 persons in attendance.
The duo later appeared in court charged with contravening Regulation 8(1)(a) and (b) and 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.
Speaking to the NAN, Raji, who is based in Abuja, said: “Akindele and her husband, AbdulRasheed Bello, can be referred to as ex-convicts having pleaded guilty and were sentenced for violating restrictions order in Lagos.
“Technically speaking, anybody who has gone through a trial and is convicted can be referred to as an ex-convict.”
He restated that if the law under which the duo were convicted was a recognised one, then they were ex-convicts “because they admitted and the court gave them a light sentence.
“This is a form of punishment.”
“It is not in all cases that an ex-convict will not be allowed to hold or seek for a political office. Minor traffic offences and what have you will not disqualify you from holding or seeking for a political office,” he said.
