The Federal High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti, yesterday granted bail to human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi, arrested in Lagos and ordered to be remanded in a correctional facility by an Ekiti Magistrate Court last week, was granted bail during Monday’s court hearing on a defamation case.
This came as a group, Justice for Afe Babalola Legacy (JABL), demanded justice for the legal Icon Aare Afe Babalola in the defamation case against Mr Dele Farotimi.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, the group’s publicity secretary, Mr Rotimi Opeyeoluwa, said the demand became necessary because the elder statesman’s industry, character, and integrity have been accused.
The activist was granted N50 million bail with a surety in the like sum, who must provide landed property as collateral.
Addressing newsmen after the hearing, a member of the defence team, Ayodele Ademiluyi, said Farotimi was served an amended charge, which consists of 12 counts bordering majorly on disseminating online information that can cause a breakdown of law and order.
Ademiluyi said, “Upon the charge being read to him, he pleaded not guilty. Prof Sylvester Emiri (SAN), who led the defence team alongside Mr Raph Nwoke and me, made a very eloquent application for bail because he is a legal practitioner with a well-known practice address.
“The prosecution led by Mr Samson Osobu opposed the application vehemently, but despite the vehement opposition, he was granted bail.
“One surety with N50 million in like sum, one built property in Ekiti State, the surety must be resident in Ekiti State, must have paid all the taxes, his international passport to be deposited with the court and then four passport photographs of both the surety and the defendants”.
However, he said the defence team is working hard to meet all the bail conditions for Mr Farotimi’s release.
“We are having another day in court tomorrow before the Magistrate Court. The quest for justice continues.
Justice Babs Kuewumi, who presided over the matter, adjourned the case until January 29, 2025.
The group’s spokesman said, “We are demanding justice for Aare Afe Babalola, a man who has painstakingly built a reputation of over 61 years at the bar is being assaulted, so we want the facts to be out.
“Let the public know this is not the case of David and Goliath, but it is to set the record straight. This rubbish may still exist in the next fifty years, but we want to correct this. We don’t want our icon character to be stained and remain so. Our fight and demand are civil; let Dele Farotimi produce evidence of Aare Afe Babalola corrupting the Supreme Court justices and the Federal High Court in Lagos.
“We shall fight to the end through the instrumentality of the law. Let him come forward based on what he wrote and produce the evidence. We want to set the record straight about Afe Babalola, and the due process is being followed in the matter”.
Also speaking, the head of Afe Babalola’s family and Ilotin of Ado Ekiti, Chief Michael Osaloni, said the issue doesn’t affect Aare Afe Babalola alone but his law firm, the lawyers there and his family, of which he is one.
On the planned protest against the arrest of Farotimi by some group, to be staged in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, the traditional Chief Osaloni, who said they are waiting for the protesters, expressed disappointment at the position of some Ekiti people on the matter.
He warned those planning the protest to avoid Ekiti, shelve it in their interest, or face the consequences.
“We will not hesitate to meet their energy with energy; we are ready for them; let them come to the police, and we will only do them a favour if they are prevented.”
For his part in the planned protest, Opeyeoluwa said, “We believe Nigeria is not a banana Republic, and there will be no breach of law and order. We believe that whatever needs to be done to preserve the sanctity of the Nigerian state will be done, so we are unperturbed.
“The police have said that they are not expecting any protest to be held in Ekiti state to that effect and heard that they plan to protest in Ibadan, Lagos and Abuja. It is beyond us; we are already in court and will stick to the court and get justice at the end of the day. We are not looking for anything beyond the law. Anything about Aare Babalola is on the legal side”.
