Fresh charges have been filed against remanded activist Dele Farotimi in the addition to the defamation charge slammed on him by the Nigeria Police.
The latest filing, submitted on Friday to the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, includes 12 new counts under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.
According to the police Farotimi made a broadcast on August 28, 2024, on Youtube channel, which constituted an attempt to bully and defame Afe Babalola who filed a complaint against the human right lawyer. He is also charged for publicizing details of legal actions taken against him during a press conference on December 2, 2024.
The fresh charges are coming on the background of several rights group challenging the arrest and remanding of Mr. Farotimi by a Magistrate court in Ado Ekiti after he was arraigned on Wednesday.
Mr Farotimi had used the press conference to detail how Mr Babalola was coming after him over his book that hit stores in July 2024, in which he narrated how Mr Babalola, a senior lawyer of immense political and business influence, perfected the art of judicial banditry that spanned decades.
Mr Babalola denied all allegations of bribing judges to procure favourable judgements, as well as all charges of corruption against his person or establishments. Representatives of the 95-year-old lawyer said Friday the onus is now on Farotimi to prove his allegations, or he would remain in detention.
Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi