Court Remands Blogger for Cyberbullying, Libelling MFM Founder, Olukoya

The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has ordered the remand of Ayotunde Richard, a blogger and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), in Ikoyi Prison custody, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application. Also remanded alongside Richard was Adewale Ajimisogbe, charged alongside the blogger in a 12-count charge of conspiracy, cyber-bullying and libel.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered the remand of the two defendants after they pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

While the two defendants were jointly charged on three counts of conspiracy to commit felony to wit: cyberstalking, libel and defamation, the first defendant (Richard) was slammed with nine counts of defamation.

The prosecutor, Nosa Waltson Uhumwangho, told the court that the duo committed the alleged offences between December 2023 and February 2024.

He told the court that the defendants, through a blogging platform named ‘Postreporters’, a social network, made a report with the caption: ‘He is a criminal and behind all illegal acts - Ex-MFM Church singer sues founder, Daniel Olukoya, others, seeks N15.5 billion in damages over illegal detention, breach of human rights’.

The prosecutor also alleged that the blogger posted on another social media platform, ‘Moment of Truth’, with the caption ‘Daniel Olukoya the Police Pastor’, ‘Mountain of Police and Alagbon Ministries’, ‘A powerless clergy who depends on Ayoleyi Tawose in order to deal with his perceived enemies’.

The blogger accused the MFM general overseer of lying to his former RCCG pastor to flush him out of the church.

The two defendants denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a trial date while urging the court to remand them in prison custody, pending when their bail applications will be heard and determined.

However, the defendants’ lawyer, Sesi Hundeyin, pleaded with the court for a short date to bring his clients’ bail applications.

He also pleaded with the court to remand his clients in police custody until their bail applications were heard. But the prosecutor vehemently opposed the request, arguing that the police remand facility was overstretched.

The judge ordered the defendants’ remand in prison custody and adjourned the case until March 21 for a hearing of their bail application.