Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos has revoked the bail previously granted to gospel singer and former member of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), Ayotunde Richards, for alleged contempt.
The judge also ordered the arrest of blogger Funke Ashekun and her production before the court over her alleged libellous writings.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa made these orders during the hearing of the criminal charge brought against Richards by the Nigeria Police for criminal defamation of the General Overseer of MFM, Pastor Daniel Olukoya.
Ayotunde was arraigned before the court on a 12-count charge of conspiracy, cyber-bullying, libel, and defamation.
The prosecutor, Barrister Nosa Waltson Uhumwangho, informed the court that the defendant committed the offences between December 2023 and February 2024.
The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant posted on another social media platform, “Moment of Truth,” captioned: “Daniel Olukoya, the Police Pastor,” “Mountain of Police and Alagbon Ministries,” “A powerless clergy who depends on Ayoleyi Tawose to deal with his perceived enemies.”
Further, the defendant was accused of writing on “Moment of Truth” that the MFM General Overseer lied to his former RCCG Pastor to flush him from the church and that “he doesn’t behave like a Pastor at all,” among other claims.
The prosecutor stated that these offences contravened Sections 27 and 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and are punishable under the same Act.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail by the court.
But at the resumed hearing of the trial, the Police Prosecutor, Nosa Uhumwangho, drew the court’s attention to the scandalising social media post and libellous content against the nominal complainant and the judge through Funke Ashekun.
To support his application, the prosecutor tendered publications by Funke Ashekun on her social media platform in which the defendant was tagged.
In the post title, “The judge delivered a strong message to Olukoya in court today,” Ashekun had alleged that the judge expressed disappointment over the lawsuit and wondered why the MFM Pastor could not use his spiritual power to resolve the issue.
Despite efforts by Ayotunde’s lawyer, Barrister Ademola Adewale, to exonerate his client from these alleged publications, the court found the arguments unsatisfactory.
In a bench ruling, the judge held that, in his own affidavit, the defendant acknowledged that Ashekun’s social media post did not reflect what actually happened in court and that Ashekun had tagged him in it.
The court therefore revokes the defendant’s bail until Ashekun is arrested and brought before it, or until she removes the offensive post and apologises.
The case was adjourned to 29 April 2026 for further proceedings.
