The Lawyer to actress Funke Akindele, Olukoya Ogungbeje has stated that the pardon granted to her by the Lagos State Government does not operate as a bar to the ongoing Court action against the Government, stating that the lawsuit continues.

This was stated by the Lawyer on Saturday, stressing that the Government knows the process was “flawed”.

He stated that the suit is scheduled to come up for hearing on 13th day of October, 2020, adding that the pardon granted to her and the husband was preemptive and bound to be set aside by the Court.

“They know the case we filed is coming up on Tuesday, so the government quickly pardoned them today (Friday). They have agreed with us after all, that the process was flawed. They had seen the handwriting on the wall.

“It shows that we must continue to hold government accountable but that doesn’t stop us from continuing our case because other people are involved. This will not stop our case, which has been fixed for Tuesday.” He said.

It would be recalled that Funke Akindele and her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, aka JJC Skillz, had been convicted and sentenced to community service in April for holding a crowded house birthday party in breach of the government’s COVID-19 prevention protocols and regulations.

However, on Friday, 9th October, 2020 the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Justice announced the decision of the Executive Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to grant pardon to them alongside 56 inmates from various correctional centres in the state.

Meanwhile, the Lawyer to Funke Akindele and her husband had earlier dragged the Government to Court in order to challenge the constitutionality of the process leading to their arrest and subsequent conviction.

The Lawyer beseeched the Court to nullify the Lagos Law, inclusive of the convictions passed on anyone that had been tried thereunder.