Lagos socialite Ogbulu Pearl, fondly called Erelu Okin, who distributed fuel as a souvenir at a party, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison.
Pearl was convicted by a Lagos Special Offences Mobile Court on Friday, March 25.
The defendant was earlier arraigned on March 14 for the offense of distributing PMS as a souvenir during her installation party on March 5.
The Chief Magistrate, Kehinde Ogundare, convicted Pearl to three months’ imprisonment or an option of a N15,000 fine on the first count.
Ogundare also ordered the Lagos socialite to pay the sum of N1 million on the second and third count charges or face two years’ imprisonment.
Pearl was accused of violating sections 251(1), 168 (1), 244 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and Section 195 (2)(b) of the Environmental Management Protection Law of Lagos State, 2017.
The defendant, who had earlier pleaded not guilty, later changed it to guilty.
Erelu Okin had shared petrol as a souvenir during her coronation party last weekend in the Oniru area of Eti-Osa Local Government in Lagos State, leading to outrage on social media.
The state government subsequently shut down Havillah Event Centre, where the party was held.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had ordered the arrest of people involved in the distribution of petrol as a souvenir at a party in the state.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, had also confirmed the development in a statement.