The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital has struck out the defamation suit filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun against human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi.
The IGP had last year filed the cybercrime and defamation suit against Farotimi over his comments relating to his published book titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ where he was accused of defaming legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola SAN.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu informed the court that they had filed a notice of discontinuance and served the defendant as instructed by the complainant, Babalola following the intervention of eminent Nigerians including traditional rulers.
Osobu said the basis for the withdrawal of the suit is in line with section 108(1)(2)(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
He said, “The prosecution, with the leave of this honourable court, seeks to withdraw the charge against the defendant and pray that the charge be struck out.”
Counsel to the defendant, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN accepted the decision of the prosecuting team to withdraw the case against the human rights lawyer.
The presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi after listening to the two counsels in his ruling, said, “ this case is hereby struck out.”
Farotimi who was in court declined to speak with journalists as instructed by his counsel.
Tribune Online had on Monday reported that Afe Babalola had promised to instruct his lawyers to withdraw the cases against Farotimi after the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and other prominent monarchs met with him at his university.
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