The Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, has struck out a suit filed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, against human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi over alleged defamation.
Justice Babs Kuewumi dismissed the suit after the police filed a notice to withdraw the case.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel for the complainant, Samson Osobu, informed the court that they had filed a notice of discontinuance.
“The matter is slated for hearing today, but we have filed a notice of discontinuance dated January 29, 2025, and filed this morning,” he stated.
Osobu cited Section 108(1)(2)(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 as the basis for the withdrawal, adding, “The prosecution, with the leave of this honourable court, seeks to withdraw the charge against the defendant and pray that the charge be struck out.”
According to him, the decision followed interventions by well-meaning Nigerians and a request from the nominal complainant, Chief Afe Babalola, to discontinue the matter.
Counsel for the defendant, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, did not oppose the withdrawal promoting Justice Kuewumi to strike out the suit.
The case was initially brought against Farotimi after Afe Babalola alleged that the lawyer’s book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,” contained defamatory statements against him.
However, after an intervention of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and prominent traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Babalola decided to withdraw the case.
