A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate on Monday unsealed the Jabi Lake Mall after 10 days, ordering the management to publish an unreserved apology to government through national dailies.
The mall was sealed after superstar musician Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley entertained fun seekers around the area.
The concert was in violation of Presidential Task Force ban on public gatherings as measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Mall was shut down last week by an order of the court for organising the” Drive-in-Concert which attracted crowd with the premises, against the social distancing rules and the extant 8pm-6am curfew.
Three staff of the Mall, who were arraigned before the Magistrate that sat as a Mobile Court at Jabi, were accused of organising a concert that violated the COVID-19 health safety guidelines and other protocols approved by the Presidential Task Force.
Magistrate Idayat Akanni who ordered that the mall should immediately be re-opened, stated that she had perused the application filed by the defence counsel Mr. Nnamdi Ekwem, praying the court to unseal the business premises.
Akanni noted that her judgement was based on the overall interest of those who will affected adversely should the mall remain closed.
She also stated that the mall has over 100 employees and other tenants who are not co-offenders in the matter, and may have their fundamental human rights seriously infracted.
According to her, the order is also based on compassion, especially, in consideration of the economic losses that will be suffered by those affected, coupled with the impact of COVID-19 on the people.
Chairman of FCT Ministerial TaskForce on COVID -19, Ikharo Attah said FCTA has no objections to the rulings of the court because the administration wants to remain a model in obeying the rule of law.
Attah noted that FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Bello has demonstrated a strong will to respect the laws while striving for good governance.
He stressed that nobody can violate the laws and go unpunished in FCT.