The police have charged Ayotunde Richards, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), over a petition from a lawyer Davidson Adejuwon.
Mr Adejuwon filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to the church’s general overseer (G.O.) Daniel Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric’s social media concerns.
In the petition, the lawyer accused Mr Richards and others of sundry acts of cyberbullying and making libellous claims against Olukoya.
The 12 counts bordering on cyberbullying and libel were filed against 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.
US court fines blogger Funke Ashekun $50,000 for defaming MFM overseer Daniel Olukoya
Lagos police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin was quoted by Sahara Reporters as saying: “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.”
The online news platform said it obtained court documents on Friday.
Meanwhile, Richards filed a suit against Olukoya over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.
Respondents in the case are Adejuwon, a superintendent of police, Tawose Ajayi; and the Nigeria Police Force.
Olukoya, Davidson, Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force are the first, second, third and fourth respondents respectively.
Richards alleged that Olukoya had 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.
