The detained lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Dele Farotimi, was given a reprieve on Monday the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State granted him bail a N50 million bail.
Recall that on Wednesday, December 7, 20204, Farotimi was remanded in prison custody by the Ado-Ekiti magistrate court following his arrest on 16 counts of criminal defamation.
Farotimi’s trial came on the heels of his alleged defamation of the founder of the Afe Babalola University, Mr Afe Babalola, in his book ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.’
According to a petition dated November 19, 2024, and addressed to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, the complainant detailed how his law firm discovered Farotimi’s book, adding that the accusation stems from a Supreme Court judgment involving a land dispute that spanned over two decades.
The inspector general of police however filed a fresh suit marked FHC/AD/CR/104/2024 against Farotimi before the Federal High Court over a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
During the hearing on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi disagreed with the prosecutor, Samson Osubu who argued for the court not to grant bail to the defendant as moved by his counsel.
Kuewumi in his ruling, granted the defendant a N50 million bail in like sum with a surety resident in Ekiti.
The court also ordered that the defendant must submit his international passport to the court and adjourned the case till January 29, 2025, for commencement of hearing.
Speaking with newsmen, one of the counsel for the defendant, Ralph Nwoke commended the court for granting his client bail.
He said the legal team would do its utmost to perfect the bail conditions to ensure Farotimi’s eventual release.
Nwoke also disclosed how the prosecutor served the defence counsel with a fresh suit different from the one earlier filed on Friday against his client.
“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 that was 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,” he said.
