Court Grants ₦10m Bail to Naomi Silekunola and Oriyomi Hamzat in Ibadan Stampede Case

The Oyo State High Court has granted bail to Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, and Oriyomi Hamzat, the CEO of Agidigbo FM, in connection with a tragic stampede at a funfair in Ibadan last December. The court also extended bail to the principal of the Islamic High School, who is facing similar charges. Each defendant was granted bail in the sum of N10 million, with two sureties required to match the amount.

The trio are currently standing trial for their alleged roles in the stampede, which claimed the lives of over 30 people, many of whom were children. The defendants were initially remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre on December 24 after being charged with conspiracy, negligence causing harm, and failing to provide adequate security and medical facilities at the event.

During the resumed hearing at the magistrate court, prosecutor Iyaganku Sikiru Opaleye informed Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi that the state Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) had determined that the defendants had a case to answer. However, the magistrate court ruled that the case would need to be heard at the High Court, as it lacked the jurisdiction to try such a serious matter.

Also Read: Several Children Feared Dead After Stampede at Ibadan Carnival

Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi clarified that if the appeal is addressed at the High Court, the case would effectively be struck out from the magistrate court. She then adjourned the case until January 27, following a request from Abdulfatai Oyedeji, the counsel for the third defendant, Abdullahi.

At the next hearing, Oyedeji stated, “The three defendants will appear, their appeals will be heard, and from there, the battleground will shift to the High Court.” He added that had the defendants been present, their appeals might have been addressed sooner.

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“They must be present physically to take their appeal, whether guilty or not guilty, before we move to the second phase of the legal process,” he explained.