Osamagbe Imadiyi
Lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti on Monday in the case brought against him by Inspector General of Police Mr. Kayode Egbetokun for alleged cybercrime.
Based on an interview given over the defendant’s book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” about the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, the IGP filed 12 counts against Farotimi on Friday that bordered on cybercrime.
Justice Babs Kuewumi presided over the hearing.Recall that Farotimi was arrested in Lagos last Tuesday by Ekiti State police in response to a petition submitted by Babalola. He was then charged with defaming the elder statesman in an Ekiti State Magistrates Court in Ado Ekiti last Wednesday. Abayomi Adeosun, the magistrate, ordered Farotimi to be remanded in prison custody and postponed hearing his bail application until today, December 10.
“We received the indication this morning (Monday) that they were taking Dele Farotimi to the court this morning, and since we are already in the Ado Ekiti, we hurried down to the court right away,” said Ralph Nwoke, a member of Farotimi’s defense team at the Federal High Court, who verified the bail.
They replaced the charge that was filed on Friday of last week with a new one that was filed this morning and served us in court. He was given bail after our team filed an oral bail application.He was given N50 million in bail and a surety in the same amount, who had to be an Ekiti State resident with a landed property and present the defendant’s travel passport to the court.
“Our client has been placed in the custodian center, and we are currently working to improve these conditions so that he can be released, hopefully, at any time,” he stated.
The charges brought against Farotimi in the amended 12 counts, according to Ayodele Ademiluyi, another member of the defense team, “bordered majorly on disseminating online information that can cause a breakdown of law and order.” After being read the charge, he entered a not guilty plea.
Ademiluyi said that although Prof. Sylvester Emiri (SAN), the lead attorney for the defense team, made a very persuasive case for Farotimi’s release on bond, Mr. Samson Osobu, the police attorney, fiercely opposed the application. Nevertheless, Farotimi was released on bail.
