Ado-Ekiti — The Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday struck out the criminal defamation suit filed against human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola.
The court’s decision followed a notice of discontinuance filed by the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu.
Babalola pardoned Farotimi on Sunday evening after the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other prominent Yoruba monarchs.
The police prosecutor filed the notice of discontinuance, dated January 29, 2025, to withdraw the defamation suit against the Lagos-based human rights activist.
In his ruling, Justice Babs Kuewunmi struck out the case after the defence accepted the notice of discontinuance.
Speaking with journalists after the ruling, the defendant’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) confirmed that Farotimi had agreed to the discontinuance, but noted that other cases were still pending in different courts.
According to him, additional cases related to the matter are ongoing at Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court and others in Oyo, Ogun, Port Harcourt and Abuja.
He said, “In this case, we were served with a notice of discontinuance this morning. We accepted it, and the case at the high court here has been struck out.
“We will now wait for further action on the other cases. There is another one at the Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court, as well as cases in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Abeokuta.
Until those cases are resolved, we cannot make any further comments. The matter is still before various courts, so I have advised my client not to speak with the press on the issue.”
Farotimi, who refused to speak with journalists, was spotted in the courtroom around 9 a.m., dressed in white.
The courtroom was largely empty compared to his last hearing at the Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court in December 2024.
