Farotimi granted bail amidst commotion in Ekiti court
Photo credit: Google
Ekiti State Magistrate Court has granted human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi bail over his arrest on charges of criminal defamation against Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Afe Babalola.
READ ALSO: Human Rights Day 2024: Atiku, Falana…top figures against Farotimi’s detention
EPL: Tottenham vs Liverpool tactics, Team news, Prediction
The court presided over by Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun granted him a bail of #30m requiring sureties who must own property within Ado Ekiti. The bail also came with attached conditions: that Dele Farotimi surrender his international passport and will not grant any media interviews or make public comments about the case during the period of his bail till the court takes the final decision.
However, during the courtroom recess, there was heightened tension, as supporters of Farotimi and Babalola had an altercation between them, but this was promptly quelled by attending lawyers.
Recall that Dele Farotimi was arrested on 3 December 2024, in Lagos, by the Ekiti State Police division over alleged accusations that his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, defamed Afe Babalola by accusing him of corrupting the Supreme Court to secure favourable judgements for his clients. The book, which was an Amazon bestseller, was petitioned by Afe Babalola seeking its removal from circulation.
Farotimi’s detention has been one of the civil issues that generated heated debates among Nigerians. As the trial date approaches, the case is increasingly drawing attention to the balance between individual rights and legal constraints in the country.
