By Adeyinka Adeniran
An Oyo State High Court, sitting at Ring Road on Monday granted bail to Olori Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hazmat and Abdulahi Fasasi.
Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin presiding over Court 8, gave the ruling following a bail application filed by the Counsels of the trio.
The Court had fixed Monday for the ruling after Olori Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hazmat and Abdulahi Fasasi’s lawyers on January 7th argued the bail application.
Olori Naomi is the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, and runs Wing Foundation, an NGO. Hazmat is the proprietor of an Ibadan based radio station, Agidigbo FM while Fasasi is the Principal, Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
The Judge in the ruling gave the conditions for the bail to include: N10million, two sureties in like sum with property in Ibadan. They are also to deposit their international passport with the court.
The court added that while the matter lasted in court, nothing about the case and incident must be broadcast on air either through interview or whatever.
Corenews reports that, the defendants were on December 24, 2024 arraigned before Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi who is presiding over Chief Magistrate Court 1, Iyaganku, Ibadan on a four count charge which bothers on conspiracy, acceleration of death, negligent acts casting harm and committing to provide adequate security and medical facilities.
The Chief Magistrate had ordered the trio to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional facility pending an advise from the Department of Public Prosecution of the Oyo State Ministry of Justice and adjourned till January 13th for mention.
However, the defendants had through their lawyers approached the High Court to argue bail application.
Delivering his ruling on the ball application, Justice Olawoyin said the Magistrate was not the competent court to try the defendants due to the alleged murder contained in the charge.
The judge said there was no place for holden charge in the constitution and keeping them in custody would amount to infringement on their rights, especially without taking them to the right court that could entertain the charges against them.
He said the incident of the stampede was not a premeditated act and so the defendants are entitled to bail.
He granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N1O million each with two prominent and reliable sureties in like sum.
The judge added that the defendants must deposit their international passport and must not grant any press interview on print or on social media during the course of the trial.
