The Nigeria Police Force has filed additional charges against human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi, escalating the legal battle surrounding his recent statements.
On Friday, 12 new counts were submitted at the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.
The new charges are seen as an effort to delay Farotimi’s bail application and extend his detention.
The fresh charges followed an earlier case filed in collaboration with Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola, stemming from comments Farotimi allegedly made during interviews and press conferences.
One of the key accusations is that Farotimi, during an online interview on August 28, 2024, knowingly transmitted false information, claiming that Afe Babalola had “corrupted the judiciary.”
The Prosecutors alleged that the statement was intended to incite public unrest and intimidate the senior lawyer.
Additional allegations include defamatory remarks Farotimi is said to have made during a podcast interview with journalist Seun Okinbaloye.
The comments reportedly referenced material from his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, and are claimed to have been aimed at maligning Afe Babalola.
Farotimi is also charged for revealing details of legal proceedings against him during a press conference held on December 2, 2024.
This development comes after Farotimi was initially arraigned earlier this week on 16 counts related to alleged cybercrime.
His legal team has condemned the charges, arguing that they infringe on his constitutional rights to free speech and fair hearing.
