10th December 2024
By Idris Buba
The magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, on Tuesday, denied bail to human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, in a case of alleged cybercrime filed against him by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun.
Farotimi was earlier taken to court for allegedly defaming the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Afe Babalola.
At the court hearing on Tuesday, the presiding magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, postponed the decision on the bail application to December 20.
This was after the police counsel, Samson Osobu, argued that the bail application submitted by the defendant was incomplete and not properly filed.
Tuesday’s ruling however, contradicts the decision of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which granted Farotimi bail on Monday.
READ MORE; Court Grants Dele Farotimi N50m Bail
Lawyer and human rights activist, Farotimi was arrested in Lagos by the police and transported to Ekiti, where he appeared before the magistrate court on Wednesday.
He was charged with defamation stemming from statements in his book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ where he alleged that Babalola had compromised the Supreme Court.
In his ruling, the Chief Magistrates Court in the Ado Ekiti Division ordered that Farotimi be remanded at the state’s correctional centre.
The police, have claimed that Farotimi ignored previous invitations to appear before them, citing cyberbullying and defamation as the grounds for his detention.
