Police Drag Former MFM Chorister To Court Over Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya

Charges have been brought by the Nigerian police against Ayotunde Richard, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), following a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, a lawyer purportedly associated with the church founder, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.

SaharaReporters had reported last Monday that Ayotunde Richards had been rearrested.

In the petition, the lawyer accused Ayotunde Richards and others of sundry acts of cyberbullying and making libellous claims against Olukoya.

Davidson filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric’s social media concerns about Olukoya.

The petition was not filed on behalf of Olukoya.

Ayotunde Richards had also filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Olukoya, over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.

Other respondents in the case are Davison Olaniran Adejuwon Esq; Superintendent of Police Tawose Ayoleyi Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force.

Olukoya, Davidson, Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents respectively.

Ayotunde who was the leader of the cleric’s backup singers alleged that Olukoya him locked up at the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Ikoyi for eight days.

He described his detention by the police as illegal, oppressive and a brazen abuse of power.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed Ayotunde Richards’ rearrest, adding that he would be charged.

“He is with us and we are charging him to court. We have a duly issued demand warrant from the court to keep him till we arraign him.

“He has a different case at Alagbon and the court order is for that particular case, that he should not be rearrested on that case,” he said.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show that 12 counts bordering on cyberbullying and libel were filed against Ayotunde Richards at a Federal High Court in Lagos.

The charges were filed on March 11, 2024 by N. W. Uhumwangho, Esq., prosecuting counsel and Senior Legal Officer at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) in Yaba, Lagos.

Count 4 reads: “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, on or about the month of December 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court did intentional send defamatory message or other matter of communication via blogging platform known as ‘Moment of Truth’ a social network captioned: “Olukoya told lies to my form RCCG Pastor to flush me out of the church. He doesn’t behave like a Pastor at all which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act 2015.”

Another count reads, “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional send a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: “Ayotunde Richard” captioned “Pastor employing a criminal Police officer to detain his perceived enemy is NOT the power of God it is religious hooliganism”, which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustee of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.”

Count 9 reads, “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, with the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional sent a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: “Ayotunde Richard” captioned “Please rescue me from this woman and my former General Overseer. They are threatening to assassinate me, leaving a church should not end my life”, which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya, the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Sec 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.”

Count 10 reads, “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, in the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional sent a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: “Ayotunde Richard” captioned ‘This Church practically worships the Police. What are they looking for again in the house??” which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby commit fence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.”

Count 11 reads, “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, between the month of February 2024 and March in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did knowingly cause the transmission of several communications via your Facebook handle “Ayotunde Richard”, on social network, which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby commit fence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.”

Count 12 reads, “That you, Ayotunde Richards ‘m’, between the month of February 2024 and March 2024, in the aforesaid Judicial Division, did knowingly course the transmission of a defamatory matter through your wife’s Facebook handle “Sholabunmi Richards” created by you, which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, enmity, hatred, illwill, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.”