N50 Million Bail for Farotimi in Alleged Cybercrime Case

December 9, 2024 EMMANUEL ADEBAYO AJIBOLA

Dele Farotimi, a human rights activist and lawyer, has been granted bail on a cybercrime allegation brought against him by the general inspector of police in the federal high court located in Ado Ekiti.

The human rights activist was brought before the magistrate court in Ado Ekiti the previous week over the petition written against him by legal icon Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, over alleged defamation in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Judicial System.’

However, the IGP opened a fresh complaint against Frotimi before the federal high court of a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime tagged as FHC/AD/CR/104/2024.

On Monday during the proceedings, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, contradicted the prosecutor, Samson Osubu, who argued for the court not to grant bail to the defendant as moved by his counsel.

Justice Kuewumi, in his ruling, granted the defendant an N50 million bail in like sum with a surety resident in Ekiti.

The court moved the case till January 29, 2025, for further hearing and also asked that the defendant submit his international passport to the court.

One of the counsels to Farotimi, Ralph Nwoke, speaking to news correspondents, applauded the court for granting Farotimi bail. He also said that the team would do everything possible to perfect the bail conditions towards ensuring his release.

Nwoke, who is also the managing partner at DL Legal, disclosed that the opposing team served the defence counsel with a fresh suit different from the one earlier filed on Friday against Farotimi.

He stated, ”We got the hint this morning (Monday) that they were bringing Dele Farotimi to the court this morning, and we are already in Ado-Ekiti; we immediately rushed down to the court.

“They served us a new charge in court that was filed this morning, substituting the one that was filed on Friday last week.

“Our team moved an oral bail application, and he was granted bail.

“He was granted bail of N50 million and surety in like sum, which must be resident in Ekiti State with a landed property, including the travel passport of the defendant, which should be submitted at the court.

Nwoke added, ”Our client has been taken to the custodian centre while we are working on perfecting these conditions to get him out hopefully any moment from now.”

When he was questioned about the effect of the suit as it compares to the one at the Magistrate Court, the lawyer noted, “I don’t expect the Magistrate Court matter to go on; this should override it because this is a higher court.

”Let’s see what the prosecution team will do, but we will be here to do our job.”