An Ekiti State Chief Magistrates Court in the Ado Ekiti District has struck out the defamation suit filed against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by the Police. This decision came after the prosecutor, Martins Akala, an officer in charge of Legal at the State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department, submitted a motion for the withdrawal of the suit.
Previously, a Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti had, on January 29, 2025, dismissed charges against Farotimi related to cyberbullying and defamation after the police requested to withdraw those charges.
In the case before the Magistrate Court, the Police had charged Farotimi on December 4, 2024, over allegations of defaming Afe Babalola in his book titled Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. In the book, Farotimi claimed that Babalola had corrupted Supreme Court justices, among other allegations.
The court granted Farotimi bail on December 20, 2024, and set February 13 for a hearing. However, on January 27, 2025, following the intervention of prominent traditional rulers led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Babalola agreed to withdraw the criminal defamation charges against Farotimi.
When the matter was heard on Thursday, Akala stated, “This matter is slated for hearing today. But I seek the court’s leave to withdraw the charge against the defendant on the instruction of the police authorities.” The lead counsel for Farotimi, Kembi Adejare, indicated that he had no objection to the application.
In a brief ruling, Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun struck out the case. He stated, “Based on the written and oral applications by the prosecution for the withdrawal of the case and the fact that the defendant did not have any objection, the charge is hereby struck out. That is the end of the case.”
In a conversation with journalists, Adejare remarked, “The case was struck out based on the application of the prosecution. We welcome it; they brought us here and they asked us to go. In open court, I said they had just removed the chains; they brought the chains, they removed the chains. Why should we complain?”
