From News Editor
Kehinde Ogunwumiju and Adebayo Adenipekun have sued the human right lawyer, Dele Farotimi in separate courts over alleged defamation.
While Kehinde Ogunwumiju is seeking N500m damages, an apology, and a halt to the publication, sale of Dele Farotimi’s book in a new lawsuit, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adebayo Adenipekun, has filed a lawsuit against human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, at the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and managing partner at Afe Babalola & Co., has filed a lawsuit against activist and author Dele Farotimi over alleged false and defamatory statements in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The suit, filed on December 6, prayed the court to halt the publication and sale of the book in both physical and online bookstores.
Ogunwumiju is also demanding N500 million in damages and an apology published in two national newspapers.
According to the suit, Ogunwumiju seeks “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant/respondent, whether acting by himself, his staff, employees, servants, privies, representatives, agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, re-publishers, re-sellers, or any other person howsoever described including Amazon Online Bookstore, Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited from further publishing, selling, circulating, advertising, or distributing the physical/hard/digital/soft copies of the book authored by the Defendant/Respondent titled: Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, online, electronically, physically or by any other means including social media, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
Additionally, the SAN is requesting an order for the seizure of all copies of the book, irrespective of their location, to be executed by security agencies.
“An order of interlocutory injunction directing the seizure of all physical copies of the book authored by the Defendant/Respondent titled: Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, wherever they may be found including at Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited worldwide by the Nigerian Police Force, State Security Service, and Nigeria Security,” the suit further read.
In another development, court document dated 9th December, 2024 which SaharaReporters obtained on Tuesday showed the court summoned Dele Farotimi to appear before it within 30 days of service.
A court document dated 9th December, 2024 which SaharaReporters obtained on Tuesday showed the court summoned Dele Farotimi to appear before it within 30 days of service.
Adebayo Adenipekun, SAN, is listed as the claimant while Dele Farotimi and Dele Farotimi Publishers are listed as the first and second defendants respectively.
The court document reads: “You are hereby commanded that within 30 (thirty) days of the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of such service you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in an action at the suit of ADEBAYO ADENIPEKUN, SAN, FCIArb, and take notice that in default of your doing so the Claimant may proceed therein, and judgement may be given in your absence.”
The document continued: “This Writ is to be served within 6 (six) calendar months from the date thereof or, if renewed, within 3 (three) calendar months from the date of the last renewal including the day of such date, and not afterwards.
“The Defendant may enter appearance personally or by Legal Practitioner either by handing in the appropriate forms.”
This is coming amid the ongoing legal battles between Farotimi and another prominent lawyer, Afe Babalola.
