A High Court in Ekiti State has granted bail of N50m to renowned human rights activist and legal practitioner, Dele Farotimi, on Monday.
Farotimi was brought to court in handcuffs while being escorted by police officers.
Recall that Farotimi was arrested at his Lagos residence last week by officers of the Ekiti State Police Command. His arrest followed a defamation lawsuit filed by Chief Afe Babalola, a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and one of the country’s most prominent legal figures.
The 95-year-old legal luminary accused Farotimi of damaging his reputation through statements made in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’. Babalola claimed that the content of the book unfairly targeted him.
At the court hearing, Farotimi was granted bail under strict conditions. He is required to post a sum of ₦50 million and provide a surety with the same sum.
The court said the surety must own landed property while the matter was adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings.
Meanwhile, Farotimi in handcuffs generated anger from members of the public who described the police’s action as condemnable, while the accused was referred to as a prisoner of conscience.
