The Federal High Court in Lagos has again adjourned hearing till November 16 in a suit challenging the legality of the conviction of actress Funke Akindele, her husband Abdulrasheed Bello alias JJC Skillz and 236 others.
Funke and the others were convicted for violating Lagos State COVID-19 guidelines.
Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, who had earlier scheduled the case for hearing on Tuesday, said the case would be further adjourned till November 16 “for definite hearing”.
Lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje who filed the suit is challenging the constitutionality of the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020, pursuant to which Akindele and others were convicted.
Mr Ogungbeje is pressing forward with the case despite Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recently granting state pardon to Funke and her husband.
The Lagos State Government has filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit for lacking merit.
But Ogungbeje wants the court to declare that “the purported arrest, arraignment, trial, conviction, and sentence of the person/Nigerian citizens under the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 for an alleged offence unknown to law and violation of same, which cannot be grounds for criminal liability, is a nullity.”
