The Oyo State Government has filed an 18-count charge, including manslaughter, against Naomi Silekunola, former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, CEO of Agidigbo FM; and Fasasi Abdullahi, principal of Islamic High School.
The charges stem from a tragic stampede at a Christmas funfair in Ibadan, which claimed the lives of 35 children.
According to the government, the accused failed to provide adequate security and medical arrangements for the event.
They are currently in detention, as their defense team argued for bail on January 7, 2025, asserting that the defendants had cooperated fully with investigations and posed no flight risk.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adekunle Sobaloju, representing Oriyomi Hamzat, challenged the legality of the detention, describing the “holding charge” as unconstitutional and not recognized under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
He urged the court to release the defendants on bail, stressing that their continued detention without proper arraignment violated their rights.
Oyo State Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, however, opposed the bail application, citing the gravity of the charges and the need for justice for the victims.
He dismissed the defense’s claims as unfounded and argued that the defendants had not provided sufficient justification for bail.
The case, initially brought before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan, was transferred to the Oyo State High Court for proper jurisdiction.
Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi had earlier declined to take the defendants’ pleas, directing the matter to the High Court.
Justice K.B. Olawoyin has reserved a decision on the bail applications for January 13, 2025.
The case has sparked significant public interest, with both sides presenting arguments about procedural fairness and accountability for the tragedy.
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