- Human rights activist condemns magistrate’s conduct during a crucial court ruling.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the actions of a magistrate in Ekiti State, accusing the judge of misusing power during a ruling on the bail application of fellow activist Dele Farotimi.
Sowore took to his X handle on Friday to express his disapproval of the magistrate’s conduct in court. He alleged that, while delivering a ruling on two important matters—the bail application for Farotimi and the eligibility of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to appear before a magistrate—the judge received a phone notification. In a move Sowore described as unprofessional, the magistrate reportedly adjourned the proceedings to answer the phone in his chambers.
Sowore labeled the incident as a blatant abuse of judicial authority and criticized the magistrate’s handling of the case. He wrote: “The Kangaroo magistrate, while delivering the ruling on the applications regarding the eligibility of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to appear before a magistrate court and Dele Farotimi’s bail, received a phone call notification and promptly adjourned to his chambers to answer it. #FreeDeleFarotimiNow.”
The incident has raised concerns about the integrity of the judiciary, with Sowore and others calling for a closer examination of the magistrate’s conduct.
Meanwhile, Farotimi has been granted N30m bail with sureties.
