Court Sends Farotimi To Prison For Defamation

… Remands Till December 10th

By Joseph Sunday 

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Court has sent one Lagos based Human Rights Lawyer and Activist, Barrister Dele Farotimi to the prison for defaming a prominent legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola as the suspect, Dele Farotimi has been remanded till December 10th.

Barrister Dele Farotimi who was arrested in Lagos State on Tuesday and brought to Ekiti was charged to court on Wednesday morning and thereafter remanded in Ado Ekiti correctional facility by an Ado Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly defaming the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, SAN.

Farotimi was accused of authoring and publishing a book titled: Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System which alleged that Chief Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his clients.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the 16 count charges read to him.

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The Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ado Ekiti correctional centre, while adjourning the case till Tuesday 10th December for the court to hear the bail application of the defendant.

The police prosecution, Samson Otsubu while arguing against the oral bail application, said that the matter is still under investigation, adding that other co-conspirators are still at large, while the published books are still in circulation.

In his oral application, the defense counsel, Mr Peter Akeredolu who led other three lawyers to appear for the defendant, said that after arraignment it is the bail of the defendant that is next since the offence allegedly committed is bailable.

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“We are in this court when the charges were read and non of the charge is linked to capital offence which is not bailable. Chapter 35 of the 1999 constitution as amended guarantees the liberty of the people. This application is premised on the fact that and accuse is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

“The court should admit the defendant to bail on very liberal terms especially on self recognizance. The man in the dock is a lawyer of 25 years standing. we pray the honorable court to grant him bail on self recognizance. There are three health challenges the defendant is currently managing.

Ruling on the bail application, the Chief Magistrate Adeosun said “I have carefully listened to the argument of both the prosecuting and defense counsels. Enough materials have not been brought to the court to enable me to exercise my discretion. It not enough to site plethora of cases tile the defendant counsel have done.”

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