Court adjourns ruling on Dele Farotimi’s bail, claims decision missing
In a dramatic turn of events, the Ekiti State Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti has adjourned its ruling on the bail application of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi after the presiding magistrate claimed the written ruling was “missing.”
The court had been scheduled to deliver its decision on Farotimi’s bail application on Friday morning, but proceedings took an unusual twist when the magistrate announced that the ruling note could not be found.
A source present at the court disclosed, “The magistrate said his ruling note is missing and has taken a break.”
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore criticised the development, describing the situation as unprecedented. On Twitter, he wrote, “The magistrate expressed embarrassment for appearing in court without the ruling on @DeleFarotimi’s bail application, claiming it had been left at home. This is truly astonishing!”
Earlier, Sowore alleged that the magistrate had received a phone notification while delivering a ruling and had abruptly adjourned to his chambers.
Farotimi’s legal troubles began after a petition by legal luminary Chief Afe Babalola (SAN). The charges against him stem from alleged defamatory statements made in his book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, published earlier this year.
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The charges, brought by the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, accuse Farotimi of making statements likely to cause public alarm and disturb peace. Among the contentious claims are allegations that Chief Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court. These charges are reportedly in violation of Section 59(1) of the Criminal Code Act.
While the court reportedly granted Farotimi bail during the Friday session, this was only after initially denying him constitutional freedom. The delay and irregularities surrounding the case have prompted public outcry, with critics labelling the situation as a miscarriage of justice.
Observers are now closely watching the case, which raises broader concerns about judicial transparency and procedural integrity in Nigeria.
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