Court Revokes Ex-MFM Chorister's Bail, Orders Blogger's Arrest in Olukoya Defamation Case
The Federal High Court in Lagos has dealt a severe blow to gospel singer and former Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) chorister, Ayotunde Richards, by revoking his bail and ordering the arrest of blogger Funke Ashekun over social media posts that allegedly defamed MFM General Overseer Daniel Olukoya.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has dealt a severe blow to gospel singer and former Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) chorister, Ayotunde Richards, by revoking his bail and ordering the arrest of blogger Funke Ashekun over social media posts that allegedly defamed MFM General Overseer Daniel Olukoya. The ruling was handed down on Wednesday by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa during the ongoing criminal trial of Mr Richards.
According to the prosecution, led by Nosa Uhumwangho, Mr Richards published several posts on the social media platform Moment of Truth between December 2023 and February 2024, which allegedly defamed Mr Olukoya. The posts, which described the cleric as "a powerless clergy who depends on Ayoleyi Tawose to deal with his perceived enemies" and "the Police Pastor" of "Mountain of Police and Alagbon Ministries," are said to have violated Sections 27 and 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Mr Richards had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was initially granted bail. However, the prosecutor informed the court that Ms Ashekun published posts about the trial, tagging Mr Richards and allegedly misrepresenting the proceedings. In one post, the blogger claimed the judge expressed disappointment over the lawsuit and questioned why the MFM leader could not rely on his spiritual powers to resolve the dispute.
The defence lawyer, Ademola Adewale, urged the court not to hold Mr Richards responsible for the blogger's publications. However, Justice Lewis-Allagoa rejected the appeal, noting that Mr Richards had acknowledged in his affidavit that the posts did not accurately reflect what transpired in court and that he had been tagged in the posts.
The judge subsequently revoked Mr Richards' bail until Ms Ashekun is arrested and produced before the court, or until when she deletes the posts and issues an apology. The court adjourned the case until 29 April for further proceedings.
The matter dates back to March 2024, when Mr Richards and blogger Adewale Ajimisogbe, publisher of PostReporters, were arraigned on multiple counts including conspiracy, cyberbullying, libel, and defamation. Mr Ajimisogbe later pleaded guilty through his lawyer, Ife Ajayi, tendering a public apology, issuing a formal retraction, and forfeiting N50,000 to the court as part of a plea bargain.
The court accepted the terms, recognising him as a first-time offender, while Mr Richards continued to face trial separately. Mr Richards had been in detention for about a week on charges of conspiracy to commit felony and cyberstalking before being granted bail.
The development has sparked concerns about the limits of free speech in Nigeria, particularly in the context of social media. While the court's decision may be seen as a necessary measure to protect the rights of individuals, it also raises questions about the role of bloggers and social media users in reporting on court proceedings.
As the case continues to unfold, observers will be watching closely to see how the court handles the issue of social media defamation and the limits of free speech in Nigeria. The next hearing is scheduled for 29 April, and it remains to be seen how the court will proceed with the case against Ms Ashekun and Mr Richards.
