The Ekiti State Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti on Friday said its ruling on the bail application filed by human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi is missing.
The court is slated to give its ruling on the bail application filed by Farotimi on Friday (today).
However, it was learnt that the sitting magistrate claimed he could not find his ruling and adjourned the hearing again for a short period.
“The magistrate said his ruling note is missing and for this he’s taken a break,” a source inside the court sitting told SaharaReporters.
Reacting to this, Human Rights activist and 2024 presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore posted on his verified X handle that “The Kangaroo magistrate expressed embarrassment for appearing in court without the ruling on @DeleFarotimi’s bail application, claiming it had been left at home, a truly astonishing turn of events today! #FreeDeleFarotimiNow.”
Sowore had earlier said the magistrate received a call while delivering the ruling which made him stop.
Sowore said: “The Kangaroo magistrate, while delivering the ruling on the applications regarding the eligibility of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to appear before a magistrate court and @DeleFarotimi’s bail, received a phone call notification and promptly adjourned to his chambers to answer it. #FreeDeleFatotimiNOW.”
Farotimi was arrested following a petition by a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
PIJAlance learned that the trial court pronounced this ruling to grant Farotimi’s bail application on Friday morning. This comes barely after the same court initially denied the human rights lawyer constitutional freedom.
The charge suit no: MAD/1,476.C/2024, pits the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police as the complainant against Farotimi as the defendant.
Some of the charges read, “That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you stated at page IX of the book: “That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his clients” which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to believe that the Statements is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 59(1) of Criminal Code Act.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you stated at page X: “That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co, (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got that Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to believe that the Statements is false and thereby committed an offence.”
Agency Report
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