Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin of a High Court sitting in Ibadan has granted bail to three suspects remanded over a food queue stampede that claimed the lives of 35 minors in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last December.
The three suspects are ex-Queen Naomi Silekunola, Ibadan-based broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat and a school principal Abdullahi Fasasi.
The accused are facing four counts of conspiracy, acceleration of death, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities. The offenses were said to be contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the criminal code, CAP 38, vol II Law of Oyo State, 2000.
The ruling was pronounced by Justice Olawoyin after hearing bail applications from the defense lawyers of the three accused.
Although the prosecution opposed the bail, noting the severity of the stampede and the need to get justice for those affected, the court has now granted the bail.
Oriyomi was granted N10 million bail and required to provide two sureties. The court also ruled that his organisation must not broadcast the news.
The defendants argued their bail applications before the court last Tuesday but the court later ruled that the defendants should be remanded in prison till 13th January (Monday) for a ruling on their bail application.
The defence team had appealed to the court for the bail claiming that they pose no flight risk and to cooperate fully with the investigation process..
Counsel for Oriyomi, one of the defendants, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), explained to journalists after proceedings that the bail application before the court has been granted.
He said, “Well, what we did was we filed an application that he should be admitted to bail pending arraignment, and the application was argued today.
“The court listened to all the various arguments, and the ruling was reserved till the 13th of January. So principally, we are saying that he ought to be admitted on bail based on certain grounds which I would not want to expatiate on here” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, had insisted that those involved in the stampede must face trial. To this end, the government on Friday has slammed an 18count charge in the accused over the stampede.
