The Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, is currently hearing a case between Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi. Babalola filed a petition with the police, claiming that certain sections of Farotimi’s 104-page book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice, defamed him, leading to the police taking action.
On Monday, the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti granted bail to Farotimi in a case filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, accusing him of cybercrime. Farotimi arrived at the court in a police security van, accompanied by correctional center officials, just before 10:00 am. Both the defendant’s and plaintiff’s counsel were already in court awaiting his arrival.
The case stems from a petition written by Babalola, which led to Farotimi’s arrest in Lagos on Tuesday. He was arraigned before the Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court last Wednesday on charges of defamation. Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered that Farotimi be remanded in the correctional center and adjourned the hearing to December 10 for his bail application.
Farotimi was granted bail with conditions: N50 million and a surety of equal sum, who must reside in Ekiti State and own landed property, along with the submission of Farotimi’s travel passport to the court.
In response to the case, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore called for protests on December 10, 2024, in Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, and London at Kings College. However, as of this morning, there were no signs of the protest taking place in Ado-Ekiti.
