| Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richard........ by OLAADEGBU(m): 10:32am On Mar 17, 2024 |
BREAKING: Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richard Arrested For Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya
March 16, 2024
Justice D.T. Olatokun of the High Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, has ordered the immediate release of Ayotunde Richard, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), over a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, who is a lawyer and reportedly 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.
SaharaReporters
BREAKING: Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richard Arrested For Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya. |
| Re: Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richard........ by PEPPERified: 11:03am On Mar 17, 2024 |
We done hear. Next? |
| Re: Judge Orders Immediate Release Of Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richard........ by OLAADEGBU(m): 7:02pm On Mar 18, 2024 |
BREAKING: Nigeria High Court Remands Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richards In Ikoyi Prison Over Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya
March 18, 2024
NEWS
Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has ordered that Ayotunde Richards, a gospel singer and former member of Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM), should be remanded at Ikoyi Custodial Centre.
This is pending the hearing of Ayotunde Richards' bail application scheduled for Wednesday.
His counsel, Mr Adesina Ogunlana told SaharaReporters on Monday that his client was charged and arraigned before the court earlier in the day.
"Ayotunde Richards will be brought back to the court before Justice Allagoa on Wednesday for his bail application.
"Also today, he was at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja for his own case before Justice D.T. Olatokun. That was for his fundamental human rights application and that was adjourned to April 29, 2024," Ogunlana said.
The Nigeria Police Force had filed charges against Ayotunde Richards over a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, who is a lawyer and reportedly an aide to the MFM church founder, Dr Daniel Olukoya.
SaharaReporters reported the arrest of Ayotunde last Monday.
In the petition, the lawyer accused Ayotunde and others of sundry acts of cyberbullying and making libellous claims against Olukoya.
Davidson filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric's social media concerns about Olukoya.
The petition was not filed on behalf of Olukoya.
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.
Ayotunde who was the leader of the cleric's backup singers 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.
SaharaReporters reported on Friday that Justice Olatokun of the High Court in Ikeja had ordered the immediate release of Ayotunde.
This was confirmed to SaharaReporters in a video by his lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana.
However, the police refused to comply with the order.
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.
Count 4 reads: "That you, Ayotunde Richards 'm', on or about the month of December 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court did intentional send defamatory message or other matter of communication via blogging platform known as ‘Moment of Truth’ a social network captioned: "Olukoya told lies to my form RCCG Pastor to flush me out of the church. He doesn't behave like a Pastor at all which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act 2015."
Another count reads, "That you, Ayotunde Richards 'm', sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional send a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: "Ayotunde Richard" captioned "Pastor employing a criminal Police officer to detain his perceived enemy is NOT the power of God it is religious hooliganism," which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustee of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015."
Count 9 reads, "That you, Ayotunde Richards 'm', sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, with the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional sent a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: "Ayotunde Richard" captioned "Please rescue me from this woman and my former General Overseer. They are threatening to assassinate me, leaving a church should not end my life", which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya, the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Sec 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015."
Count 10 reads, "That you, Ayotunde Richards 'm', sometimes in February 2024, in Lagos, in the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did intentional sent a defamatory message or other matter by means of your Facebook handle: "Ayotunde Richard" captioned ‘This Church practically worships the Police. What are they looking for again in the house??" which is grossly offensive, false and for the purpose of causing annoyance, insult, injury, criminal intimidation or needless anxiety to the prejudice of Dr. Daniel Olukoya and the Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, a message you knew to be false and thereby commit fence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act, 2015."
SaharaReporters
BREAKING: Nigeria High Court Remands Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richards In Ikoyi Prison Over Alleged Cyberbullying, Libel Against Church Founder, Olukoya. |
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Court Awards N2.25Million Against Nigeria Police For Brutalising Former MFM Chorister, Ayotunde Richards
June 3, 2024
NEWS
A High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State has awarded N2 million as aggravated and general damages against the Nigeria Police Force over the brutality and human rights abuse suffered by Ayotunde Richards, a gospel singer and former member of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFM).
It was learnt that the court also awarded two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N250,000) to Ayotunde for the cost of the litigation.
Ayotunde had filed a suit against the General Overseer of the church, Dr. Daniel 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.
Ayotunde, who was the leader of the cleric’s backup singers, accused Olukoya of having 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.
He claimed that his phones were collected and handed over to Olukoya in an attempt to find the names of the perceived enemies of the church.
According to him, Olukoya used his influence to have him detained in connivance with Superintendent Ayoleyi Tawose Ajayi, who is reportedly also a member of MFM and a close ally of the cleric.
Ayotunde also joined Davidson Adejuwon, a legal representative for Olukoya, in the suit.
He accused him of playing critical roles in the perusal of his mobile phones and claimed that his detention in July 2023 at FCID was outrageous.
Ayotunde asked the court to compel the Respondents to issue a letter of unconditional apology for breaching his Right to Privacy.
He also sought from the court: “A DECLARATION that the Applicant, a Nigerian Citizen, has a guarantee to rights to personal liberty, dignity of human life and privacy of his person, home, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications as enshrined in Sections 34,35 and 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).
“A DECLARATION that the violent arrest of the Applicant on July 18th 2023 at 12:30 am thereabouts by the 3 and 4th Respondent is WRONGFUL unconstitutional, arbitrary and excessive.
“A DECLARATION that the detention of the Applicant from July 18, 2023, to July 26, 2023, at the Federal Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Ikoyi by the 3 and 4 Respondents before charging him to court as regard the complaint of one Opeyemi Emmanuel against him grossly offends Section 34,35,36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and therefore illegal, outrageous and oppressive.
“AN ORDER compelling the Respondents to issue a letter of unconditional apology to the Applicant for breaching his Right to Privacy their illegal, unconstitutional access to and use of the information and communication of the Applicant’s SAMSUNG GALAXY S 20 FE and iPhone 12 PRO MAX phones without the authority and consent of the Applicant.
“AND FOR SUCH FURTHER OR OTHER ORDERS as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this suit.”
However, Justice Olatokun of Ikeja High Court, on Friday upheld some of his prayers in part and disallowed some in part.
The family’s lawyer, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, who confirmed the development on his social media handle, noted that the court established that Ayotunde’s arrest and detention were unlawful.
He noted that the evidence before the court was that there was no investigation at all before the police arrested him.
"In two considered rulings, fairly extensive, Honourable Justice Olatokun of Ikeja High Court, upheld some of our prayers in part and disallowed some in part but generally the court outcome is that the court established that Ayotunde’s arrest was unlawful and his detention was equally unlawful,” Ogunlana said.
He continued, “The evidence before the court was that there was no investigation at all before the police pounced on him.
"And of course, the detention was a violation of the constitutional period allowed when you can detain a person. The court also held that the claim of the police was that he stayed in the station because he could not satisfy the condition of bail. The court held that there was no bail granted.
"The proof of the bail granted was a bail bond which was blank. It only contains the name of the applicant. The conditions of the bail were not stated in the so-called bail bond. And so the court held that it was apparent that his detainment was a gross breach of his rights.
"As to the issue of his privacy, the court in its own considered ruling and wisdom held that it will hold, that there was consent given to the police to go into his phone. That was the decision of the honourable Court upon the fact presented before them. The issue of consent according to the honourable Court nullified that his privacy was affronted without his consent.
"At the end of the day, it was a good day. The judge held that Mr Richard Ayotunde be compensated with two million and a letter of public apology. Two hundred and fifty thousand naira was also awarded for the cost because that's what we sourced after the successful mitigation.
"The counter application by the council for the second respondent in his case, that is Mr Adebisi Adejuwon, was denied by the court. And the court held that citizens should not be discouraged from approaching the court for the enforcement of their fundamental rights and by awarding cost except in very clear cases.”
"We will seek for a review of it with the appellate. But we are grateful to the Honourable Court for finding that indeed, despite all the denials by these respondents the court sifted through all claims to find out that indeed the Police breached the rights of this gentleman and have been ordered to pay the cost,” the statement added.
SaharaReporters
It was learnt that the court also awarded two hundred and fifty thousand naira (N250,000) to Ayotunde for the cost of the litigation. |
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