A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted blogger Adewale Ajimisogbe for cyberbullying and libel against MFM founder, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa delivered the judgment following a plea bargain agreement entered by the blogger with the police prosecution.
Ajimisogbe and a former Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) member, Ayotunde Richards, were arraigned on March 20, 2024.
They faced a 12-count charge involving conspiracy, cyberbullying, and criminal defamation connected to the founder of MFM.
Ajimisogbe alone faced nine additional counts of libel beyond the three joint conspiracy charges filed against both defendants.
The prosecution told the court the offences took place between December 2023 and February 2024 on a platform called Postreporters.
Prosecuting counsel Nosa Uhumwangho said the blogger published a story falsely accusing Dr. Olukoya of criminal acts and rights violations.
The article reportedly quoted a former MFM church singer alleging that Olukoya was responsible for her illegal detention.
The publication also mentioned a N15.5 billion lawsuit allegedly filed by the former MFM member against the church founder.
According to the prosecutor, the false report breached Sections 27 and 24 of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015, and warranted criminal sanctions.
Ajimisogbe initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea after reviewing the strength of the evidence against him.
The court accepted his guilty plea and convicted him accordingly, setting a date for sentencing in the coming weeks.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa noted the importance of responsible online conduct and condemned the abuse of digital platforms for personal vendettas.
The court warned that similar actions targeting religious leaders or any citizen would not go unpunished under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws.
The MFM leadership has yet to comment on the conviction but previously urged the public to ignore defamatory publications.
The court judgment marks a significant legal stance against cyberbullying, especially involving religious institutions like MFM and public figures.
