The High Court of London in the Strand, Queen’s Bench Division, has entered judgement in favour of Dr Olukoya Olukoya, General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracle (MFM), in a defamation suit against social media influencer, Ms Maureen Badejo.
The court granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining Ms Badejo from further publication of what it called “serious and defamatory” publication against Dr Olukoya and his wife, Mrs Shade Olukoya, and the Church.
The court also ordered Badejo to pay the legal costs incurred by the Olukoyas in the suit, and dismissed her claims to monetary compensation for losses incurred from the shutdown of her YouTube and Facebook accounts as frivolous and an abuse of court process.
Badejo had, in August 2020, published a series of articles which MFM said were malicious falsehood against the Church, its GO, his family, pastors and members of the Church.
Her YouTube and Facebook, which circulated the broadcasts, were suspended following complaints from Dr Olukoya’s lawyers.
In her judgement, the judge noted that “it is overwhelmingly clear that the defamation is severe and serious, and that the number of publications is considerable. A High Court of Ogun State, Abeokuta, had in 2020, in Suit No. AB/407/2020, entered judgment in favour of MFM in some aspects of publications.
A statement from MFM said the London case will continue for the Court to forensically determine the quantum of damages to be awarded to Dr and Mrs Olukoya for the defamation.