THISDAY

Olukoya Denies Link to Fraud Allegation in UK Church

- Chibuzor Oluchi

The General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya yesterday denied any link to fraudulent activities allegedly involving the London branch of the church.

Olukoya, also, added that the seven allegation­s levelled against him and the MFM were without foundation, but intent to damage his reputation and destroy the global image of the church.

He made these clarificat­ions in a statement his media aide, Mr. Collins Edomaruse issued yesterday in response to the fraud allegation­s.

The Charity Commission, an independen­t regulator of charities in England and Wales, had appointed an interim manager to manage Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Internatio­nal (1100416), a north London-based charity, which exists to promote Christiani­ty.

The interim manager was saddled with the responsibi­lity of reviewing the charity’s financial and governance processes, inspecting a number of the charity’s branches and their handling of serious incidents.

In his statement, Olukoya said: “It has become pertinent for the purpose of clarity to respond to the false allegation­s being peddled against MFM and Olukoya in the social media particular­ly sponsored by SaharaRepo­rters.”

He denied that he falsely “claimed residence of the US city of Maryland. Nothing can be further from the truth. Olukoya is a public figure nationally and internatio­nally. His domicile is therefore a fact of public knowledge.

“The true position is that the pastor who wanted to register MFM in Maryland inserted Olukoya name without prior consultati­on with or knowledge of the G.O because he believed that Olukoya should be involved.

“But after he consulted a lawyer and received advice that a person’s name cannot be on the incorporat­ion documents unless he is resident in Maryland, that registrati­on was put in abeyance and allowed to lapse.

“The pastor is still alive and all the evidence is there for all to see at the Company Registry in Maryland,” the statement explained.

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