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Dele Farotimi and Afe Babalola
An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates Court, Ado Ekiti District on Thursday struck out the defamation suit filed against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by the Police.
This followed the application and motion by the prosecutor, Martins Akala, an officer in charge of Legal at the State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department, for withdrawal of the suit from court.
Recall that a Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, had on January 29, 2025, struck out charges brought by the Police against Farotimi bordering on cyberbullying and defamation following the police application to withdraw the charge.
In the matter at the Magistrate Court, the Police in Ekiti State charged Farotimi to the court on December 4, 2024, following allegations of defaming Afe Babalola in his book, titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
Farotimi had alleged in the book that Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court justices among others.
The court granted Farotimi bail on December 20, 2024, and adjourned the matter till February 13 for a hearing.
However, Afe Babalola had on January 27, 2025, following the intervention of prominent traditional rulers led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, agreed to withdraw the criminal defamation cases against Farotimi from the court.
When the matter came up on Thursday, Akala said, “This matter is slated for hearing today. But I want to seek leave of the court to withdraw the charge against the defendant on the instruction of the police authorities”.
The lead counsel for the defendant, Kembi Adejare, said that he had no objection to the application.
In his brief ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, struck out the case.
Adeosun said, “Based on the written and oral applications by the prosecution for the withdrawal of the case and the fact that the defendant did not have any objection, the charge is hereby struck out. That is the end of the case”.
In a chat with journalists, Adejare said, “The case was struck out based on the application of the prosecution. We welcome it, they brought us here and they asked us to go.
“In the open court, I said they had just removed the chains, they brought the chains, they removed the chains. Why should we complain?”
