By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – The Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has granted human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, bail in the sum of N30 million.
Farotimi is facing 14 counts of defamation in a case filed against him by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
Granting the bail on Friday, December 20, 2024, Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered thw accused to provide two sureties, one of whom must own property in Ado-Ekiti, as part of the bail conditions.
Farotimi was arrested on December 3, 2024, in Lagos by Ekiti police officers following the publication of his book ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’, where he alleged that Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgement in the service of his clients.
While presiding over the case on Friday, Adeosun stated that the offence of defamation preferred against Farotimi is bailable despite taking note of the issues raised by the prosecuting counsel.
However, he barred Farotimi from granting media interviews or making comments on the issue pending the determination of the substantive suit in the court.
He also ordered him to submit his international passport which the head of the defence counsel, Barr. Adejare Kembi, informed tje court had been submitted at the Federal High Court earlier as part of his bail conditions on a different suit on alleged cybercrime against him.
The defence team was instructed by the magistrate to provide a written document from the Registrar of the Federal High Court confirming the receipt of the passport.