A magistrate court in Ekiti State has granted a detained human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, N30million bail in the defamation charge brought against him by the police.
Farotimi, who has been remanded in a correctional centre in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, arrived at the magistrate court premises around 9:45 am on Friday.
He was conveyed to the court premises in a prison’s van with a police escort, alighting while raising his hands up in appreciation of a cheering crowd outside the court.
His bail comes after the magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, had at the last sitting, reserved ruling till December 20 on the bail application and ordered that the activist be remanded in prison.
During the court proceedings, Farotimi pleaded not guilty to the 14-count charge preferred against him by the police.
His counsel, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, had filed a preliminary objection asking the court to strike out the charge.
According to him, the charge before the court is unknown to law, and the offence of defamation not recognised under the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
Farotimi is being prosecuted before a chief magistrate court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, for allegedly defaming Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).