The Ekiti Chief Magistrate Court has adjourned the criminal defamation case against human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi until December 20, 2024, to hear his bail application.
In the meantime, Chief Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered Farotimi’s remand in prison.
Farotimi faces charges for allegedly defaming prominent lawyer Aare Afe Babalola in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
During the proceedings, police prosecutor Samson Osobu objected to the appearance of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Adeyinka Olumide-Fasuka in the case, citing a recent Court of Appeal judgment from Ibadan, which ruled that SANs could not represent defendants in Magistrate Courts.
In response, Olumide-Fasuka argued that the Ekiti State Magistrate Court’s laws allowed all lawyers, regardless of status, to appear in such courts for criminal matters.
He contended that the appeal ruling might not have considered all magistrate court laws across Nigeria.
The Chief Magistrate decided to delay his ruling on this issue to review the judgment cited by the prosecution, instructing the Senior Advocate to step down temporarily.
Taiwo Adedeji, a senior lawyer on Farotimi’s legal team, was allowed to continue representing him for the time being.
The case will resume on December 20, 2024, when the court is set to consider Farotimi’s bail application.
