Naira Marley to make free audio-visual in campaign against COVID-19

Popular artiste, Afeez Fashola also known as Naira Marley has given an undertaking that he will join the Lagos State government’s campaign against the spread of COVID-19 by making a free audio-visual publication.

He made the undertaking in a letter dated April 9, and addressed to the Governor of the State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The letter of undertaking was tendered at the Magistrate court as part of the conditions for the government to withdraw a charge of breaching the social distancing directive made against him.

Chief Magistrate Yewande Aje-Afunwa subsequently approved the withdrawal of the charge against the musician.

She also approved the withdrawal of the charge against Marley’s co-defendants Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Babatunde Gbadamosi and his wife, Folasade.

On Wednesday, the 8th of April, Magistrate Aje-Afunwa had ordered the three defendants’ to comply with the conditions set by the government and to come back to the court today to give a report of compliance.

The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mr Yhaqub Oshoala told her that the Gbadamosis and Marley had accepted and undertaken to comply with all of the State’s conditions for the withdrawal.

He noted that they had “undertaken to work with the government to tackle the COVID 19 pandemic.”

The conditions are that the trio should individually offer a personal apology to the president and governor; give an undertaking to comply with the COVID-19 regulations, and go into self-isolation for the next 14 days.

Defence counsel, Mr Olawale Akoni (SAN) for Gbadamosi, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) for Mrs Gbadamosi, and Miss Damilola Ayinde-Marshal for Marley corroborated his statement.

Aje-Afunwa ruled: “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.”

She commended the defendants for “taking the path of honour by taking responsibility for their mistakes” which had made restorative justice possible.