An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has granted bail to former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola, and two co-defendants, Oriyomi Hamzat, CEO of Agidigbo Radio FM, and Abdullahi Fasasi, principal of Islamic High School.
The trio is facing prosecution for the deaths of 35 children during a stampede at a Christmas funfair on December 18, 2024, at Islamic High School, Orita Basorun, Ibadan.
Delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two reliable sureties.
The judge ruled that the defendants must submit their international passports to the court and refrain from granting any press interviews, whether in print or on social media, throughout the trial.
The three defendants had previously been arraigned on December 24, 2024, before an Iyaganku Magistrate’s Court on charges of conspiracy, murder, manslaughter, and negligence. They were subsequently remanded at Agodi Correctional Centre.
Counsel for the defendants filed bail applications at the state High Court, arguing that their continued detention would violate their constitutional rights.
Justice Olawoyin noted that the Magistrates’ Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case due to the inclusion of murder charges in the charge sheet. He further stated that holding the defendants in custody without trial would infringe on their rights, emphasizing that the stampede was not a premeditated act and thus did not warrant prolonged detention.
Although the defendants were not present in court, their supporters who came in large numbers, celebrated openly after the judge admitted them to bail.
