MFM’s Olukoya Denies Claims, Threatens Libel

By Ella Makondo

Mountain of Fire and Miracles ( MFM) Ministries has threatened to sue the publishers of an online article for libel for publishing falsehood against its General Overseer, Dr. Daniel Kolawole  Olukoya.

The article titled: SCANDAL! General Overseer, Mountain of Fire And Miracles Ministries, In Big Mess in US published under the link, https://Ik.phx.ninja/Nkup was published on July 19, 2020.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Media Aide the General Overseer of MFM,  Mr. Collins Edomaruse, the church described the article as a malicious falsehood and a mere attempt to attack a man of God.

According to the statement, the publishers of the article have not only opened themselves to a suit in libel but have also commented on a matter which has been judicially determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United States of America.

“What the publisher of this falsehood is attempting to portray as recent events is actually the feeble defence of some renegade pastors presented in 2017 to a Court Case commenced in 2017 at the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County of Maryland, USA by Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries against Pastors Lawrence Adetunji, Ronke Adetunji.

“Also eleven former members of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Bowie, Maryland USA and Christ The Truth Ministry to recover possession of property and monies belonging to MFM international which those renegade Pastors and the eleven (11) conniving members had sought to snatch upon breaking out from the MFM Fold to form a Christ the Truth Ministries.

“The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County of Maryland delivered judgment in that case in 2019 in which it disbelieved the lies of the Defendants, and granted MFM’s claims in their entirety.”

“It is pertinent to note that  the false publication of those very same stories by Sahara Reporters in 2017 has earned it two suits for Libel – one in the United States of America and the other here in in the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, Uyo, Nigeria.

“Also, that a similar publication by ThisDay newspaper of the same false stories citing Sahara Reporters as its source, as has been done in this present instance, has also earned the publishers of that newspaper a civil suit to recover N500bn as aggravated damages for libel. The matter is currently at trial stage in the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt,” it stated.

The statement noted that the publishers of the recent story which it described as falsehood would be charged to court, noting that the publication was a  breach of  Journalism ethics and would be redressed at the appropriate time.