Rita Odafe
Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, who heads a broadcasting station in Ibadan; and Abdulahib Fasasi, the Principal of Islamic High School in Basorun, faced the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday, January 27.
The trio has been charged with multiple offenses stemming from the stampede incident that resulted in the tragic loss of 35 lives.
Initially, they were detained under a charge that was not recognized in Nigerian law but later secured their release on bail after their legal representatives contested the validity of that charge.
The Chief Magistrate has postponed further discussions on the case to March 24, 2025.
In comments to the press, Hamzat’s attorney, Dapo Akinosi, stated: “Today’s proceeding was meant for updates since the initial arraignment was based on an unrecognized holden charge, leading to their detention.
“We applied for bail at the High Court, which was granted. Legal counsel has since been provided, and the correct charges are now prepared against them, although they have not received those yet.
“We requested today’s hearing to withdraw the charge in this court, as their pleas have not been recorded at the High Court. Thus, we sought a longer postponement to facilitate the necessary legal processes, including plea submission at the High Court, prior to concluding matters at the Magistrate Court.”
