A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Thursday, struck out defamation charges against human rights lawyer, Mr Dele Farotimi.
The police in Ekiti state had arraigned Farotimi for allegedly defaming legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).
The activist was later remanded and granted bail to the tune of N30 million by the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adesun.
Earlier on January 29, 2025, the Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti had struck out similar charges against the Farotimi.
When the matter up on Thursday, the prosecution, led by Martins Akala told the court about the prosecution’s decision to withdraw from the case.
Akala who is the officer in-charge of the legal department of the state CID said, “The matter is slated for hearing today. However, we want to seek the leave of the court for withdrawal of the pending charges against the defendant on the instruction of the police authority”.
Lead counsel to the defence team, Mr Adejare Kembi said they had no objection to the prosecution’s withdrawal.
Based on the position of both parties, Magistrate Adeosun struck out the case, “The charge is hereby struck out.”
Speaking with newsmen on what transpired in the open court, counsel to the defendant, Adejare said, “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. They have just removed the chain, they brought.
“Why should we complain? We were in the court today, to follow up our case which is for hearing. The prosecution says “we are withdrawing and we agreed”.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, alongside some prominent traditional rulers in Ekiti State waded into the prosecution of Farotimi by appealing to Aare Babalola to withdraw the case.