…Says Police Should Redeem Its Integrity By Terminating Prosecution
Afenifere, the apex Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Dele Farotimi, human/civil rights activist and a lawyer.
The organisation which also charged the police to redeem its integrity by promptly terminating its prosecution of a matter for which the law doesn’t empower it, stated this on Wednesday during a world press conference in Lagos.
Deputy Leader Afenifere, Oba Oladipo Olaitan who addressed journalists maintained that Farotimi should be immediately and unconditional released, even as it called for the investigation of the circumstances surrounding his abduction and travails in the hands of his abductors.
He said, “We must note that the overzealousness with which some of the parties have acted and the errors of judgement committed by them in this case could validate Farotimi’s portrayal of the justice system.
“We believe that Chief Afe Babalola, like every citizen, has a right to defend his reputation if injured to the full extent of the law but not outside the strictures of the law.
“Therefore, Dele Farotimi must have his day in court. He cannot be unjustly incarcerated. His rights must be similarly protected.
The organisation noted that conference became necessary to expose the travails of democracy, the grievous curtailment of free speech and the deprivation of the constitutional right to personal liberty exemplified in the abduction, detention and incarceration of foremost human/civil rights activist and lawyer, Farotimi
“We want to draw public attention to the unsavoury circumstances of the abduction, detention and incarceration of Mr. Dele Farotimi, a lawyer and member of the National Caucus of Afenifere.
“The delay in granting bail to Mr. Farotimi has confirmed the fears of well-meaning people all over the world that these processes are driven by extraneous considerations outside the facts and laws in respect of the petition on which the Police and the Chief Magistrate in Ekiti are hinging their actions.
“Even as the burden of proof of the charge against Farotimi is on the prosecution and as the accused person is presumed innocent by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)
Afenifere leader added, “Recall that on Wednesday 4th December, Farotimi was arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on a 16-count charge of criminal libel. The presiding Magistrate did not consider Farotimi’s bail application even though the alleged offence is a bailable one. The Magistrate insisting on a written application for bail adjourned the matter of the consideration of the Defendant’s bail application to Friday 10th December, 2024.
“As if that was not enough, the Inspector General of Police slammed Cyber stalking/ Cyber bullying charges against Farotimi at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti. It is noteworthy that Mr. Farotimi was brought to court in handcuffs even as the public is a witness to an accused neither known to be a violent person nor a risk to flight from justice. It was a clear attempt to humiliate him. Fortunately, the Judge in that instance granted bail to Farotimi even though the bail conditions were onerous, exacting or irksome.
“When the Magistrate Court resumed to consider its curiously ordered written application for bail, the matter was again adjourned for a decision whether the application should succeed or not. The adjourned date is Friday 20th December. It is noteworthy that before the resumed hearing of the 10th of December, a Notice of Preliminary Objection had been filed by Farotimi’s lawyers, pointing out that the offences proffered against Farotimi doesn’t exist in laws of Ekiti State. The court willfully or unwittingly failed to take notice of this critical objection and went on to further remand the accused until an adjourned date of December 20.
“It’s clearly an act to constructively incarcerate an innocent person accused of an offence recognizable in law. In the meantime cases against him requiring his attention are being filed in as disparate places as Abuja and Port Harcourt while he’s incarcerated for an offence not known to laws of Ekiti or Lagos.” He added.
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