Alleged cybercrime: Ekiti Court grants Farotimi N50m bail

Abdullateef Fowewe

A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has granted human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, bail in the sum of N50 million with a surety in the like sum.

Farotimi is facing a 12-count charge bordering on cybercrime preferred against him by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

The lawyer was last week arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, over alleged defamation of character following his book titled “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” where he alleged, that Afe Babalola, and others, had compromised the Supreme Court.

However, the trial is expected to resume tomorrow at the Magistrate Court.

The IGP reportedly  filed a fresh suit marked FHC/AD/CR/ 104/2024 against Farotimi before the Federal High Court bordering on cybercrime.

At the hearing on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi disagreed with 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 a N50 million bail in like sum with someone with landed property in Ekiti state.

The court also ordered that the defendant must submit his international passport to the court and adjourned the case till January 29, 2025 for commencement of hearing.

One of the counsels to Farotimi, Ralph Nwoke commended the court for granting the defendant bail, adding that the team would do everything possible to perfect the bail conditions towards ensuring his release.