State Attorney General: ‘No Case Against Ooni’s Ex-Wife, Others Anymore’ As Court Dismisses Charges In Fatal Stampede
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed murder charges against Queen Naomi Silekunola, former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, Principal of Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan.
The trio had been facing charges related to a tragic stampede that occurred during a children’s event in December 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 35 children.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice B.K. Olawoyin ruled that holding the defendants liable for the incident could discourage public engagement in humanitarian activities. As a result, the court struck out the four charges, which included conspiracy, negligence causing harm, failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities, and acceleration of death.
In a media interview following the ruling, Oyo State’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Biodun Aikomo, explained that the state withdrew the charges in the interest of justice. “It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these cases. So we withdrew the charge, and it was struck out by the court. There is no case against them anymore; they are now free,” Aikomo stated.
Justice Ladiran Akintola, also of the Oyo State High Court, had previously granted bail to the accused, ordering them to pay N10 million each and provide two sureties. The court had also ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court.
The tragic incident that led to the deaths of the children occurred during a Christmas funfair in Basorun, Ibadan, allegedly organized by the defendants. The stampede resulted in the loss of 35 young lives and sparked public outrage.
In his statement after the judgment, Aikomo acknowledged the gravity of the incident but emphasized that the defendants had shown empathy and compassion towards the affected families. He noted that the aim of prosecution is not to harm individuals but to ensure justice is served. “We felt the essence of prosecution is not to persecute, but to ensure justice is done. They tried to assuage the feelings of the affected parties, and it was in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges,” Aikomo said.
During the court session, Justice Akintola, in a lighter moment, advised the defendants to be cautious and avoid similar issues in the future.
The four charges against the accused, including conspiracy, negligence, and failure to provide adequate safety measures, were in violation of Sections 308, 324, 344, and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State, 2000. However, following the ruling, the case against them was officially closed, with no further legal action anticipated.
