The Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital is set for the case between Afe Babalola (SAN) and a Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi.
Aare Afe Babalola had considered aspects of the 104-page book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice’ authored by Farotimi, as defaming him and petitioned the Police to take action.
The Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, granted bail to the defendant, in the suit filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun against him over alleged cybercrime.
Farotimi arrived at the court premises in a police security van in the company of correctional centre officials a few minutes before 10:00 am.
The counsels to the defendant as well as the plaintiff had been in the court awaiting the Farotimi’s arrival.
Based on a petition written by Babalola, the police arrested Farotimi in Lagos on Tuesday and arraigned him before an Ekiti State Magistrate’s Court in Ado-Ekiti last Wednesday on charges bordering on defaming the elder statesman.
The magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, ordered that Farotimi should be remanded in the correctional centre, while he adjourned till December 10 (today) to hear his bail application.
However, Barr Farotimi was granted a bail of N50m 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.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore had called for a protest on Tuesday, 10th December, 2024 in Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, and Kings College, London.
But in Ado-Ekiti, as of this morning, the protest is yet to hold and there are no signs that it will take place.
