An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has granted a former wife of Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola, and two others, being prosecuted for murder and manslaughter, N10 million bail each.
Also granted bail are: Oriyomi Hamzat, a broadcaster and Chief Executive Officer, Agidigbo Radio FM, Ibadan, and Abdullahi Fasasi, the school principal of Islamic High School.
The three defendants are being prosecuted for the deaths of 35 children during a stampede at a Christmas funfair programme on Dec. 18, 2024, at Islamic High School, Orita Basorun, Ibadan.
It would be recalled that the defendants were on Dec. 24, 2024, arraigned before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, manslaughter, and negligence.
The defendants were subsequently remanded at Agodi Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the defendants subsequently filed applications for their bail at the state High Court.
Delivery ruling on the bail application, on Monday, Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin admitted the ex-queen and her co-defendants to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two reliable sureties.
Olawoyin said that the Magistrate Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case due to the murder charge contained in the charge sheet.
He said that the incident of the stampede was not a premeditated act and so the defendants were entitled to bail.
The judge directed that the defendants must submit their international passports to the court and must not grant any press interview in print or on social media during the trial. (NAN)
