In his advocacy efforts, embattled human rights attorney and activist Dele Farotimi has reaffirmed his dedication to honesty and integrity.
Farotimi reportedly met his bail requirements and was released from the Ekiti State Correctional Center on Tuesday morning.
This comes after an Ado-Ekiti magistrate court gave him bail of ₦30 million with two sureties last Friday.
The sureties have to be law-abiding individuals, with one of them possessing property under the court’s jurisdiction, according to Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun.
Farotimi was also ordered not to give media interviews throughout the trial and to turn over his foreign passport.
Farotimi stated….
“In my public advocacy and in my fight and wars against the evil empire that we all live in, I have never lied against anyone. If I don’t know something, I will simply say I don’t know.”
He underlined that the most effective means of bringing about significant change in Nigeria is still the truth.
In a similar incident, Emmanuel Chambers, the legal practice of renowned lawyer Chief Afe Babalola SAN, submitted a petition to remove Farotimi’s law practice license, however it was denied by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
Based on allegations made in his book, Nigeria and the Criminal Justice System, attorney Mr. Ola Faro of Emmanuel Chambers filed the petition, accusing Farotimi of professional misconduct and criminal defamation. According to reports, the book emphasized unethical activities, bribery, and corruption in Nigeria’s legal system and courts, citing Supreme Court case SC/146/2006 between HRH Oba Tijani Akinloye and Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu, among others.
In violation of the 2023 Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, the petition claimed that Farotimi misrepresented case facts, denigrated attorneys, and obstructed justice for his own gain. His name was to be removed from the Roll of Legal Practitioners.
But in its decision (B8B/LPDC/1571/2024), the LPDC came to the conclusion that the accusations were related to Farotimi’s writing career rather than his ability to practice law.