LAGOS, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Lagos has approved the plea bargain of Adewale Ajimisogbe, a blogger who was arraigned for defaming Dr. Daniel Olukoya, General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM).
Ajimisogbe, who was arraigned alongside Ayotunde Richards, a former member of MFM, had initially pleaded not guilty to charges that included conspiracy, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and defamation.
However, during proceedings, Ajimisogbe reversed his plea and entered into a plea bargain with the prosecution.
In the agreement presented to the court, the blogger committed to retracting the defamatory publication, issuing a public apology, and paying a fine of ₦50,000 to the federal government.
His lawyer, Ife Ajayi, urged the court to accept the bargain, describing Ajimisogbe as a first-time offender who had shown remorse and had no prior criminal record.
Ajayi also noted that his client had expressed a deep sense of regret and now viewed the complainant, Dr. Olukoya, as a father figure.
The police prosecutor, Ademola Adewale, along with the counsel representing Richards and the legal team for the complainant, did not oppose the plea deal.
Presiding judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, granted the application and formally accepted the plea terms.
“After careful consideration of the application and the submissions from counsel, the plea bargain agreement is hereby granted,” Justice Lewis-Allagoa ruled.
“The first defendant is to forfeit ₦50,000 to the state.”
Ajimisogbe had faced 12 charges in total—three jointly with Richards and an additional nine counts of libel individually—stemming from blog posts published between December 2023 and February 2024.
The judge adjourned the trial of the second defendant, Ayotunde Richards, to Saturday, June 3, 2025.
