By Adedapo Adesanya
Music star, Mr Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has been convicted by an Abuja mobile court for violating COVID-19 protocols in June 2020.
The FCT Administration had filed a four-count charge against him for hosting a concert in Abuja, in clear violation of COVID-19 directives.
Concerts and event centres have been shut down across the country by the government as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus disease.
Magistrate Idayat Akanni, who presided over the court session on Friday, August 7, consequently fined the Lagos-based musician N200,000 after he pleaded guilty to the charges filed against him.
The concert at the Jabi Lake Mall elicited public outcry with many who attended breaking protocols at the peak of the pandemic.
Naira Marley is said to have flown in a chartered plane meant for a Lagos judge to the Federal Capital Territory for the concert which was held on June 13.
Earlier in April, the Lagos State government had filed charges against the defendant at the Magistrate Court sitting at Ogba for attending a birthday party organised by celebrity couple, Mrs Funke Akindele-Bello and her husband, Mr AbdulRashed Bello, at Amen Estate, Ibeju-Lekki.
The singer was charged alongside a former governorship candidate, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, owner of the estate, where the party took place.
At the court, the state government withdrew the charges against the defendants, claiming they had shown remorsefulness.
The music artist has had his fair share of public scandal. He rose to popularity when he was arraigned for fraud last year by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On Thursday, Naira Marley was also arraigned at a court in the Oshodi area of Lagos for violating COVID-19 rules by attending the Abuja concert. He was fined N100,000 by the court alongside his manager, who was also asked to pay the same amount for the same offence.
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