Olayiwola Matthew
An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates Court, Ado Ekiti Division, on Wednesday, ordered the remand of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, in the state’s correctional centre.
Farotimi was arraigned in court over alleged defamation of character following his book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ where he alleged, among others, that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, had compromised the Supreme Court.
Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, after listening to the police prosecutor, Samson Osubu, who filed a 16-count allegations to which Farotimi pleaded not guilty, adjourned the matter till December 10, 2024.
Farotimi was arrested in Lagos on Monday by policemen from Ekiti State and whisked to Ado Ekiti following which he was arraigned on Wednesday.
Adeosun said, “The defendant should file a formal application for bail. The matter is adjourned till Tuesday, December 10, 2024. The defendant is hereby ordered remanded at the Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti.”
In an interview on Tuesday, Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, defended Farotimi’s arrest, for alleged cyberbullying and defamation.
The CP said the offences allegedly committed by Farotimi included “defamation of character, cyberstalking and other things” noting that those two allegations were “fully established.”
He said, “We are investigating him (Farotimi). If the suspect is arrested, we will bring him for investigation. We will conduct our investigation and will be able to know his level of culpability or otherwise.”
Below is a portion of Dele Farotimi’s book where Chief Afe Babalola alleged he was defamed: