The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted a blogger, Adewale Ajimisogbe, for cyberbullying and libel against the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
Ajimisogbe, who appeared before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, pleaded guilty to the charges following a plea bargain agreement reached with the Nigeria Police.
Ajimisogbe, alongside a former member of MFM, Ayotunde Richards, had earlier been arraigned before the court on March 20, 2024. They faced a 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cyberbullying, and defamation.
The prosecution charged both defendants jointly on three counts involving conspiracy to commit felony, specifically cyberstalking and defamation. Ajimisogbe, however, faced nine additional counts of libel independently.
During the court session, police prosecutor Nosa Uhumwangho told the court that the alleged offences were committed between December 2023 and February 2024.
Uhumwangho stated that Ajimisogbe, using a blogging platform called “Postreporters,” published a report with the title, “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 prosecutor asserted that the actions violated Sections 27 and 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, making them punishable under the same law.
Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, Ajimisogbe later changed his plea after realising the strength of the evidence against him.
As part of the plea bargain arrangement, he agreed to issue a public apology, publish a formal retraction, and forfeit N50,000 to the federal government after pleading guilty to all the charges.
The defence lawyer, Ife Ajayi, urged the court to accept the terms of the plea bargain, stating that his client was a first-time offender with no previous criminal record.
Ajayi also informed the court that Ajimisogbe had expressed remorse and offered an unreserved apology to the nominal complainant, who he regards as a father figure, and promised not to repeat his actions in the future.
The prosecutor, the counsel for the second defendant, Ademola Adewale, and the lawyer representing the nominal complainant, A. Adegboye, did not oppose the application.
After listening to the lawyers, Justice Lewis-Allagoa held, “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.
“That the matter is further adjourned to June 3, 2025, for the trial of the second defendant.”
What you should know
Adewale Ajimisogbe, a blogger behind “Postreporters,” has been convicted after admitting to cyberbullying and libel against MFM’s General Overseer, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
His guilty plea, issued under a plea bargain, earned him a lighter sentence involving a N50,000 fine and a public apology, while the trial of his co-defendant is set to continue in June 2025.
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