An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates Court in Ado Ekiti has ordered the remand of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi at the Ado Ekiti Correctional Centre.
The order was issued on Wednesday following his arraignment on allegations of defamation and cyberstalking.
Farotimi pleaded not guilty to the 16 charges filed by the police prosecutor, Samson Osubu. The case has been adjourned until Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun stated, “The defendant should file a formal application for bail. The matter is adjourned till Tuesday, December 10, 2024. The defendant is hereby ordered remanded at the Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti.”
Farotimi was arrested in Lagos on Monday by police officers from Ekiti State and taken to Ado Ekiti for the court proceedings.
The charges stem from claims made in Farotimi’s book, *Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System*, where he allegedly accused Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, of compromising the Supreme Court.
Defending the arrest, Ekiti State Commissioner of Police Adeniran Akinwale explained that Farotimi was being investigated for “defamation of character, cyberstalking, and other related offences.”
“We are investigating him,” the CP said. “If the suspect is arrested, we will bring him for investigation. We will conduct our investigation and will be able to know his level of culpability or otherwise.”
Farotimi’s case has drawn widespread attention, with many calling it a test of free speech and human rights in Nigeria. The Nigerian Bar Association and other groups have criticized the circumstances of his arrest.
