Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has raised concerns about the reputation of legal luminary Aare Afe Babalola in connection with his alleged defamation case against lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi.
“I am really concerned for Afe’s reputation indeed because the whole world is watching and what the police are doing in the name of Afe Babalola,” Akande said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme on Thursday.
The former presidential spokesman said though there is a basis for Afe Babalola to seek redress over the alleged defamation of his person but “what I think it is inelegant is that you will expect somebody like Chief Afe Babalola, with all of his respect and regard, that he would rather pursue this matter as a civil case”.
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He said the nonagerian founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) should not have “instigated the police to harass Mr Farotimi the way we have all seen in videos”.
“He (Afe Babalola) is aggrieved and he should pursue his right but you should expect somebody in his class, somebody with his reputation, Afe Babalola is an icon in Nigeria, so, you will expect him to that in view and rather seek a civil process,” Akande said.
Earlier this week, police in Ekiti State arrested the lawyer and author at his Lagos office and transported him to Ekiti for prosecution.
On Wednesday, the police arraigned the author for publishing a book titled Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, in which he accused Afe Babalola of corrupting the judiciary and influencing Supreme Court rulings.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all sixteen charges brought against him.
In his ruling, Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun ordered the suspect to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case until December 10, 2024.
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