A day after he was found guilty and convicted by a Lagos State Magistrate Court and fined N100,000 for contravening the ban on interstate movement at the outbreak of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, controversial but talented Pop Star, Naira Marley was again convicted for the same offence on Friday by an Abuja Special Offences Court. This time around, his fine was N200,000.
Justice Idayat Akanni, the Chief Magistrate II, Wuse Zone 2 who presided over the case, convicted and fined Naira Marley for violating COVID-19 protocol on social distancing at a time when both the Federal and State Government imposed total lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja.
Justice Idayat Akanni convicted the singer on four counts of violating interstate travel ban, not using a face mask and breaking social distancing protocol by featuring in a well-attended concert. Chief State Counsel, Udeme Umana told the Court during the proceedings that the musician be ordered to publish an unreserved apology to the Federal Government in a national daily of choice to serve as a deterrent to other Nigerians.
On July 13, the musician boarded a chartered flight and headed to Jabi Mall, Abuja where he staged a well-attended concert, which he also recorded and uploaded online.
Naira Marley staged the concert just a few weeks after narrowly escaping conviction in Lagos for violating same protocol when he appeared in a birthday bash of Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele.
Counsel to Naira Marley, Mohammed Yunusa told journalists that his client was made to believe that the organizers of the concert had procured all the approval from the federal government hence his client flew into Abuja for the concert.
