Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Ex-MFM Chorister Arrested For Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya

Posted by Lawal Munirat on March 17, 2024 0

Ayotunde Richards had also filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Olukoya, over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.

Ayotunde Richard

Justice D.T. Olatokun of the High Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, has issued a directive for the prompt release of Ayotunde Richard, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), following a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, a lawyer purportedly serving as an aide to the church founder, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.

This was confirmed to SaharaReporters in a video by his lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana on Friday.

Ayotunde Richards had also filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Olukoya, over an alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.

Other respondents in the case are; Davison Olaniran Adejuwon Esq; Superintendent of Police Tawose Ayoleyi Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force.

Olukoya, Davidson, Ajayi and the Nigeria Police Force are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents respectively.

The lawyer said, “I’m still within the premises of Ikeja High Court where we obtained an order. We’ve gotten the certified true copy of the order of Ikeja High court, as per Honourable Justice Olatokun this afternoon, ordering the immediate release of Ayotunde Adewunmi Richard.

“We have gone to see him after the order was delivered, and I have informed him of this important development. I also informed the officer immediately in charge of his case, he is my good friend, DSP Godwin, and I promise that I will bring to him later in the day, a certified true copy of the order. This afternoon, we tried our best and God helped us.

“The chamber has moved down to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, and served them. And we got to the office of special squad too, of the Lagos Police Command that is, the squad specifically handling the matter and has direct custody of Mr Adewumni Richard. The stamp of the two offices is there. They received it 6:04pm so I expect them to do the needful.

“I have sent a copy to the lawyer electronically since I can’t get him. After we finished the court, my learned friend was no where to be seen again, he was in court, he heard the order.

“We have done the needful. The wife has been coping for about ten days ago, this man has been detained. I want to inform you that Mr Ayodele is in good spirit, he is undaunted. He is calm and when we informed him of development, naturally he was happy. The madam (wife) said he just came back from him and that there is a plan from the police to carry him to federal court on Monday.”

Ayotunde who was the leader of the cleric’s backup singers had alleged that Olukoya 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.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, had confirmed Ayotunde Richards’ rearrest, adding that he would be charged.

“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,” he said.

Documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Friday show that 12 counts bordering on cyberbullying and libel were filed against Ayotunde 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.