Simi Oluwaseyi, the sister of Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, has made serious allegations regarding her sister’s treatment during her recent court arraignment.
According to Simi, Naomi was subjected to harsh treatment, likening it to the way a terrorist would be treated. The allegations follow a video posted online by their mother, Fumilayo Oluwaseyi, in which she appealed to President Bola Tinubu for intervention.
In a detailed social media post, Simi shared her sister’s ordeal, revealing that Naomi had been charged with murder during the court proceedings. Simi also expressed frustration over the denial of access to Naomi while she was in detention, adding that those she spoke to about the case indicated that the charges were bailable.
She wrote, “All my sister did was try to put smiles on the faces of children this Christmas, something she has been doing for years. Unfortunately, this year didn’t go as planned, and innocent children lost their lives. I am deeply sorry about this tragedy, and my heart bleeds for all those affected. However, my sister was arrested and detained for over six days. On the third day, while being interrogated by the DSS, she collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital.”
Simi further explained that Naomi’s event, a children’s funfair, was scheduled to begin at 10 am, but people began arriving as early as 4 am. The tragic incident occurred between 6 am and 7 am. Despite her critical condition, Naomi was arraigned in a magistrate court, where she was remanded, with one of the charges against her being murder. Simi described Naomi’s high blood pressure during the process, which the doctors at the police hospital monitored closely.
“My sister had no access to us while in detention. My mother had to beg every day just to be allowed to visit her. She was not allowed to use her phone, and I even had to plead with her son to be permitted to see her at the police hospital,” Simi continued.
She also revealed that Naomi was not supposed to appear before a magistrate court but was instead expected to be tried in a High Court. Despite these irregularities, Simi stated that everyone she contacted regarding the case affirmed that the offense was bailable. However, she claims that the law is being applied differently in Naomi’s case.
Simi also expressed concern over the overwhelming police presence during Naomi’s court appearance. “At the court, she was treated like a terrorist. Over 40 policemen were deployed to the scene, and only my mother and brother were allowed to sit in the court,” Simi added.
The situation has drawn attention to the treatment of Naomi and raised concerns about the legal process, especially given the distressing circumstances surrounding her arrest and detention.
