Court grants Dele Farotimi N50m bail

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital has granted human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi bail in a defamation case filed by Aare Afe Babalola.

He was granted bail in the sum of N50 million, with a surety in like sum.

The court said the surety must own landed property while the matter was adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings.

The 2023 African Action Congress, AAC, presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, announced the development on his X (Twitter) handle on Monday.

Farotimi was remanded last week Monday by the court in Ado Ekiti for allegedly defaming a legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola, in his recently published book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

There has been an outrage over his arrest and subsequent prosecution with legal opinions divided over the actions instigated by Babalola.

Some activists led by Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the Take it Back Movement had declared Tuesday a day of protest to demand freedom for Farotimi.

Also Afe Babalola had justified the action against Farotimi, saying his reputation was maligned in his book.