Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted a blogger, Adewale Ajimisogbe, for cyberbullying and defamation against the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
Ajimisogbe was convicted on Tuesday after entering a plea bargain agreement with the police.
He and a former MFM member, Ayotunde Richards, had been arraigned on March 20, 2024, on a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cyberbullying, and libel.
While both defendants faced three joint charges of conspiracy to commit felony, cyberstalking, and defamation, Ajimisogbe was additionally charged with nine counts of libel.
According to the police prosecutor, Nosa Uhumwangho, the offences were committed between December 2023 and February 2024.
The blogger, operating under the platform “Postreporters,” was said to have published a defamatory article titled: “He is a criminal and behind all illegal acts – Ex-MFM Church singer sues founder Daniel Olukoya and others, seeks N15.5 billion in damages for illegal detention and breach of human rights.”
The prosecution said the publication violated Sections 27 and 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Initially, both Ajimisogbe and Richards pleaded not guilty. However, Ajimisogbe later changed his plea, acknowledging the weight of the evidence against him and opting for a plea bargain.
Under the agreement, he is to issue a public apology, publish a formal retraction of the defamatory content, and pay a sum of N50,000 to the federal government.
His lawyer, Ife Ajayi, pleaded with the court to accept the terms, noting that his client was a first-time offender, had shown remorse, and had tendered an unreserved apology to Dr. Olukoya, whom he described as a father figure.
The plea bargain was not opposed by the prosecution, nor by the counsel to the second defendant, Ademola Adewale, or the legal representative of the complainant, Adegboye.
In his ruling, Justice Lewis-Allagoa said: “After careful consideration of the application and the submissions from counsel, the plea bargain agreement is hereby granted. The first defendant is to forfeit N50,000 to the state.”