By Adeyinka Adeniran
Barring last minute change, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan will on Tuesday hear the bail application for an ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, proprietor of an Ibadan based radio station, Oriyomi Hamzat and the principal of Islamic High School, Mr Fasasi.
The trio are facing trial following the death of 35 children at Islamic High School, Bashorun, venue of an ill fated Children Funfair carnival
The case will come up at Court 8, Ringroad, Ibadan presided over by Justice Olawoyin.
It was however gather that, the state has also filled a counter application against the bail.
Corenews reports that, the trio spent the Christmas and New Year holiday at the Agodi Correctional facility where a Chief Magistrate Court ordered them to be kept since last year when the matter came up at the Magistrate court, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi had adjourned the case to January 13 for mention while urging the DPP to act fast in sending his advice.
It was gathered that the lawyers to the trio, had filed summons for their bail last week at the State High Court and will on Tuesday January 7 argue their applications at the Court.
The former queen and the two others were remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre when they were arraigned at the magistrate court after the incident.
Although, Olori Naomi organised the event through her Wings Foundation, Hamzat is the proprietor of Agidigbo FM which publicised the children empowerment and picnic programme prominently. Fasasi is the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, the venue of the programme.
It will be recalled that the programme was scheduled to hold on Wednesday December 18 with expectation of 5,000 participants but crowds that exceeded the number besieged the venue which led to a stampede during which 35 persons, mostly children, died.
The trio were later arrested by the police along with others who had been released after investigation.
The three persons were taken to a magistrate court on December 24, and, after listening to their lawyers, the magistrate ordered them to be remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre pending the receipt of advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The case has generated much interest due to the controversy it has attracted among fans of Naomi and Hamzat as well as their good intention as against the death of innocent persons.
Confirming the development when contacted by The Nation, Olori Naomi’s lawyer, Mr Musbau Adetunmbi (SAN) explained that once their summons are approved, the accused persons could regain their freedom before the next adjourned date while the case will move to high court.
He added that the DPP could drop any of the charges preferred against the accused persons based on the provisions of the law and information available to him. The DPP’s advice will determine if the trio have a case to answer.
Effort to confirm if the advise has been offered the Chief Magistrate by the DPP could not yield result as at the time of this report.
