An Ekiti State High Court has granted bail to human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, in the sum of ₦50 million.
The bail condition includes one surety who must present evidence of ownership of landed property, provide two years’ tax clearance, and secure a letter of consent from a bank.
The presiding judge, Justice Babs Olaniyi Kuewumi, announced the conditions during Monday’s hearing.
The court subsequently adjourned the case to 29 January 2025 for trial.
Farotimi’s legal troubles stem from allegations of defamation and cyberbullying brought against him by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, a respected legal luminary.
In a petition to the police, the 95-year-old lawyer accused Farotimi of tarnishing his reputation through statements made in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, and an online interview.
One of the 12 charges filed by the Inspector-General of Police reads: “That you, Dele Farotimi ‘m,’ on 28th August 2024, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel in respect of a book authored and published by you titled Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, wherein you stated in the interview that: ‘Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary,’ which you know to be false information for the purpose of causing the breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.”
The activist was arrested in Lagos last Tuesday by the Ekiti State Police Command, following Babalola’s petition.
He was subsequently arraigned before a magistrate court on a 16-count charge of alleged defamation. The court remanded him in prison custody pending Monday’s bail hearing.
Farotimi’s arrest has sparked nationwide outrage, with civil society organisations and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemning the move. They described it as an affront to free speech and a concerning development for justice in Nigeria.
The case has drawn significant public interest, with many Nigerians awaiting its resolution in January 2025.
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