The police have filed cybercrime charges against lawyer and human rights activist Dele Farotimi.
Mr Farotimi is already facing 16 counts of criminal defamation of senior lawyer Afe Babalola before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. Farotimi pleaded not guilty and was remanded till December 10 for hearing on his bail application.
The case stemmed from a petition by Mr Babalola alleging that Farotimi defamed him in his book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.
Babalola cited 31 excerpts from the book, including one accusing him of corrupting the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgement in the service of his clients.
On Friday, however, the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), through, S.O Osobi, filed 12 counts of cybercrimes against Farotimi at the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti.
The new charges largely focus on Farotimi’s comments in online interviews reiterating allegations made in his book.
One of the charges read: “That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 28th August 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” wherein you stated in the interview that: “Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary” which you know to be false information for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1) (b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.”
