Chief Afe Babalola
Farotimi: Afe Babalola demands proof, police file fresh charges
Elder statesman and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, on Friday, insisted that activist lawyer, Dele Farotimi, was out to tarnish his reputation which he had built following many years of hard work and diligent toil.
Babalola, who said that he petitioned the police to investigate the defamatory allegations made by Farotimi in the book titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ said charging the activist to court by the law enforcement agency was for the law to take its due cause on the matter.
The senior advocate, represented by his lawyers, Owoseni Ajayi, Olakanmi Falade and Lawrence Fasanmi, who are former chairmen of Nigerian Bar Association, Ado Ekiti Branch, spoke at a press conference in the Ekiti State capital city.
The police in Ekiti State had, following a petition written by Babalola, arrested Farotimi in Lagos on Tuesday and arraigned him before an Ekiti State Magistrates Court in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday over allegations bordering on defaming the elder statesman.
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While the police prayed the court to remand the defendant (Farotimi) in correctional facility, Farotimi’s lawyer pleaded for bail for his client, but the Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, ordered him remanded as he adjourned the matter till December 10, 2024.
Babalola’s lead lawyer, Ajayi, a former commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Ekiti State, said that the press conference was to correct the various misleading publications about the ongoing matter between the Nigerian Police and Farotimi over the issue of defaming Babalola.
He said, “All facts are verifiable. I urge Nigerians to verify and find out what the truth is first before picking a side.”
The first count of the new charges read, “That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 28th August 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel (http://youtube.com/watch?v=4USuxB…) in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” wherein you stated in the interview that: “Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary” which you know to be false information for the purpose of causing the breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.”
Source: The PUNCH