A chief magistrates court in Ado-Ekiti has adjourned Dele Farotimi’s bail ruling to December 20.
The magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, reserved ruling till December 20 on the bail application and ordered that the activist be remanded in prison.
During the court proceedings, Farotimi pleaded not guilty to the 14-count charge preferred against him by the police.
Farotimi’s counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, had filed a preliminary objection asking the court to strike out the charge.
He noted that the charge before the court was unknown to law and the offence of defamation was not recognised under the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
Farotimi is being prosecuted before a chief magistrate’s court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State for allegedly defaming a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola.
Farotimi’s arrest has been greeted with public criticisms with many Nigerians calling for his immediate release.
Among those seeking his release is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), decried the detention of the human rights lawyer and advocate saying he is languishing in prison for speaking truth to power.
In a post on X to commemorate the International Human Rights Day, Abubakar said the lawyer’s arrest is a glaring example of the pervasive climate of impunity and rights violations in the country.
“Dele Farotimi now languishes in prison custody not for any crime but for the supposed ‘crime’ of persistently speaking truth to power,” the statement read.
“His only offense lies in his unflinching commitment to exposing the truths that the government and its collaborators would rather remain hidden,” Atiku stated.
He faulted the circumstances surrounding Farotimi’s incarceration, stressing that Farotimi is being prosecuted under a cyberbullying law that does not exist in Ekiti State.
Similarly, Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, faulted Farotimi’s arrest.
Taking to his X handle, Sowore said: “It is pertinent that the Nigerian police are notified that the institution cannot continue to be used to settle personal scores, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, would no longer tolerate such a situation.
“Therefore, the police at Zone 2 in Lagos are advised to release Barrister Dele Farotimi immediately.”
Also, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) condemned the arrest, describing it as illegal.
