The Ekiti State Chief Magistrates’ Court has struck out the defamation case against renowned human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi.
This decision came after Martins Akala, the police prosecutor, formally applied to withdraw the suit.
The development follows an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which, on the 29th of January, 2025, dismissed cyberbullying and defamation charges against Farotimi after the police filed an application to discontinue the case.
Recall that Farotimi had been arraigned by the Ekiti State Police on the 4th of December, 2024, over allegations of defaming legal icon Afe Babalola in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. In the book, he had claimed that Babalola corrupted Supreme Court justices, among other controversial assertions.
After being granted bail on the 20th of December, 2024, Farotimi was set to face trial on the 13th of February, 2025.
However, in a surprising twist, Afe Babalola opted to withdraw the criminal defamation case on the 27th of January, 2025, following interventions by prominent traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
When the case was called on the 13th of February, 2025, the prosecutor Akala informed the court that the authorities had directed the withdrawal of the suit.
“This matter is slated for hearing today. But I want to seek leave of the court to withdraw the charge against the defendant on the instruction of the police authorities, he said.
Reacting to the ruling, Farotimi’s counsel, Kembi Adejare, welcomed the decision but highlighted the irony of the situation.
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“The case was struck out based on the application of the prosecution. We welcomed it. They brought us here, and they asked us to go.”
He added, “In the open court, I said they had just removed the chains. They brought the chains, they removed the chains. Why should we complain?”
With this ruling, the legal battle surrounding Dele Farotimi has come to an unexpected close, marking a significant moment in the intersection of activism, justice, and influence in Nigeria’s legal landscape.