A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has granted human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi ₦50 million bail. Farotimi was arrested and charged with defamation and cybercrime.
The allegations stem from Farotimi’s book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” in which he accused renowned lawyer and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) of corrupting the Supreme Court to procure fraudulent judgements in the service of his clients.
In the foreword of his book, Farotimi outlines ten claims alleging corruption and malpractice involving Babalola, his law firm, and other legal professionals.
Some of the accusations include that Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure fraudulent judgments for his clients and that his law firm doctored the Supreme Court’s original decision to obtain an execution warrant.
Babalola denied all allegations, claiming they were deliberate falsehoods intended to damage his reputation and the legacy of his law firm, established in 1965. He demanded the recovery of all copies of the book from circulation.
The police filed 12 fresh counts of charges against Farotimi, including allegations of cybercrime.
According to court documents, some of the counts read: “That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 28th August 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel… wherein you stated in the interview that: ‘Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary’ which you know to be false information to cause breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.“
Justice Babs O. Kuewumi ruled that Farotimi be released on bail with conditions, including an ₦50 million surety and a guarantor possessing a landed property of equivalent value.
The case has been adjourned for further proceedings on January 29, 2025.
In the meantime, sales of Mr Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, have shot through the roof, reaching Bestseller status at Amazon.
Farotimi, fondly referred to by his fans as “The Prophet,” has declared that all proceeds from the book’s sales will go to charity.
The book is available HERE:
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