By Ola Akinwunmi
A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has granted bail to human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, in a cybercrime suit filed by the Inspector General of Police. Farotimi was arraigned before a Magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti last week over a petition by legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, alleging defamation in his book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Judicial System’.
The IGP filed a fresh suit against Farotimi, with a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime. During the hearing, Justice Babs Kuewumi granted Farotimi a N50 million bail, with a surety resident in Ekiti, and ordered him to submit his international passport to the court. The case was adjourned until January 29, 2025, for the commencement of the hearing.
Farotimi’s counsel, Ralph Nwoke, commended the court for granting bail and assured the team would perfect the bail conditions. Nwoke revealed that the prosecuting team served them with a fresh suit, different from the one earlier filed and that they would do their job to ensure Farotimi’s release.
Speaking with newsmen, one of the counsels to Farotimi, Ralph Nwoke commended the court for granting Farotimi bail, adding that the team would do everything possible to perfect the bail conditions towards ensuring his release.
Nwoke, the managing partner of DL Legal revealed that the prosecuting team served the defence counsel with a fresh suit different from the one earlier filed on Friday against Farotimi.
According to him,” We got the hint this morning (Monday) that they were bringing Dele Farotimi to the court this morning and we are already in the Ado-Ekiti, we immediately rushed down to the court.
“They served us a new charge in court that was filed this morning, substituting the one filed on Friday last week.
“Our team moved an oral bail application and he was granted bail.
“He was granted a bail of N50 million and surety in like sum, which must be resident in Ekiti state with a landed property, including the travel passport of the defendant should be submitted at the court.
” Our client has been taken to the custodian center , while we are working on perfecting these conditions to get him out hopefully any moment from now.”
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also weighed in on the matter, stating that defamation is not a criminal offense in Lagos State, citing the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and a Supreme Court ruling in Aviomoh v. Commissioner of Police & Anor (2021)
