Lagos based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Dele Farotimi, has again been remanded in prison custody till December 20, 2024.

Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun will on that day determine whether the embattled senior lawyer will remain in custody as well as whether Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika SAN, his Lead Counsel, is competent to appear before him as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Farotimi had arrived the magistrate’s court sitting in Ado-Ekiti around 9.50 am shielded by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Correctional Centre. He is facing a 14-count criminal defamation charge filed by the police following a complaint by leading senior lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola SAN.

At the commencement of today’s proceedings, the prosecution challenged the appearance of Olumide-Fusika before the Magistrate’s Court on the basis that “a SAN should not appear in a lower court.”

While Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun adjourned ruling on the objection to a later date, the senior lawyer stepped down from the proceedings, paving way for other lawyers in the defence team to continue their representation for the defendant. The team now has Messrs Taiwo Adedeji, Ayodele Ademiluyi and Mayowa Omojola representing Farotimi.

The prosecution also served the defendant with an amended charge, deleting two counts from the original 16 counts. The defendant pleaded ‘Not Guilty’ to the charge.

Following his plea, the court took arguments for and against the defendant’s bail application and adjourned ruling till Friday, December 20, 2024.

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