The Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has dismissed the criminal charge filed by the police against Lagos based legal practitioner and author, Dele Farotimi.
Justice Babs Kuewumi struck out the charge after an
application by the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu.
Osobu told the court that the prosecution had filed a notice
of discontinuance.
“The matter is slated for hearing today, but we have filed a
notice of discontinuance dated January 29, 2025, and filed this morning,” he
said.
The Nigeria Police
withdrew the alleged defamation suit filed against Farotimi.
There was no objection from lawyers to Farotimi led by
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika.
This paved the way for Justice Kuewumi to strike out the
case, with the judge declaring, “This case is hereby struck out.”
Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom,
Olumide-Fusika said that the case had been concluded in the particular court
but declined to comment on related matters pending in other courts.
He also said that he had advised Farotimi against granting
press interviews on the matter.
Recall that another criminal charge filed by the police
against Farotimi is still pending before the Magistrate Court also in
Ado-Ekiti.
The case before Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun was adjourned to
February 13, 2025, and it is expected that the police will also move to
discontinue proceedings in that court and withdraw the charge.
There are also civil cases against Farotimi pending before
the FCT High Court, Abuja, the Ogun State High Court, Oyo State High Court, and
Rivers State High Court which were filed by lawyers in the Afe Babalola
Chambers in those states.
Some of the courts had granted interim orders restraining
Farotimi or any person acting through him from further printing, publication
and sale of his book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
It is yet not clear whether those cases will also be
discontinued.
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