An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, presided over by Justice K. B. Olawoyin, on Monday granted bail to Olori Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, and Abdulahi Fasasi.
The trio is facing allegations connected to the tragic death of 35 children during a funfair organized by the Wings Foundation, a charity run by Naomi, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife.
Hamzat, a renowned broadcaster and founder of Ibadan-based radio station Agidigbo FM, and Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, where the tragedy occurred, were also named in the charges.
The court had earlier reserved its ruling on their bail applications after a session on January 7, 2025.
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Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi of Chief Magistrates’ Court 1, Iyaganku, had on December 24, 2024, ordered the defendants’ remand at Agodi Correctional Facility, pending advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Oyo State Ministry of Justice.
They are facing a four-count charge, including conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm, and omission to provide adequate security and medical facilities during the event.
On Friday, the Oyo State government instituted a new 18-count charge against the trio at the High Court. The charges include alleged conspiracy to commit murder, manslaughter, and criminal negligence, punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The prosecution’s charge sheet listed details of 14 of the victims, aged between 1½ and 18 years, among the 35 children who lost their lives.
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Names include Musiliu Sofiyah (8 years), Lekan Salami (7 years), and Feyikemi Salam (1½ years), among others.
The suspects are accused of failing to implement proper security and crowd control measures, as well as adequate medical facilities during the funfair. The prosecution argues that their negligence directly resulted in the stampede that caused the deaths.
One charge states: “Did negligently omit to provide adequate security, crowd control mechanisms, and medical facilities to prevent a stampede at a children’s funfair programme organized by you, and your negligent omission resulted in the death of one Musiliu Sofiat, ‘f’, aged 8 years, and 34 other children, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 308 and punishable under section 344 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
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Justice Olawoyin’s decision to grant bail follows legal arguments by the defendants’ counsel emphasizing their right to freedom pending trial.
The terms of the bail have yet to be disclosed, but the ruling provides temporary relief for the defendants as they prepare to face the newly instituted charges.