SaharaReporters learnt that the blogger was also required to tender a public apology to the cleric.
A 23-year-old blogger, Adewale Ajimosogbe arrested over alleged cyberbullying and libel against the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Daniel Olukoya has been released after meeting bail conditions.
SaharaReporters learnt that the blogger was also required to tender a public apology to the cleric.
Adewale - the Publisher of PostReporters - who was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force on March 4, 2024, in the Okitipupa area of Ondo State was released on June 14, according to a family source.
SaharaReporters had reported that the blogger was arrested for re-publishing a SaharaReporters' story on Ayotunde Richards’ N15.5-billion-naira fundamental human rights case against the MFM founder, Davidson Adejuwon and the Nigerian police.
It was alleged that the blogger added a rider - 'Olukoya is a criminal and the one behind all illegal acts in MFM.'
SaharaReporters gathered that the police claimed that they were acting on the strength of a petition written by Davidson Adejuwon, an aide to Olukoya and a lawyer, in which he accused the blogger of tarnishing Olukoya's name.
Davidson filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric’s social media concerns.
In a ruling on Wednesday, April 24, Ambrose Allagoa, the presiding judge, said the charges against Adewale were bailable.
Adewale was to provide a surety with landed property in Lagos but was unable to perfect his bail condition.
The family of the blogger raised the alarm over the detention of their son at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for three months on June 4.
One of the family members told SaharaReporters they had spent over N700,000 yet couldn't secure Adewale Ajimosogbe’s release.
"We have spent over seven hundred thousand during the bail application process and when the bail condition was out, we were asked to provide a surety with landed properties in Lagos,” the family source said.
However, a family source told SaharaReporters on Monday that they spent over N2 million eventually to secure the release of their son on June 14.
"We spent over N2 million to secure Adewale's release. We really suffered. In fact, we are still paying back the money we borrowed during the process. We thank God that our son is out," the source said.
Adewale in an apology letter posted on his blog tendered an unreserved public apology to Olukoya over the publication.
The letter is titled, "Public Apology and Formal Retraction of the publication titled – 'He Is a Criminal and Behind all Illegal Acts – Former MFM Church Singer Sues Founder, Dr D.K Olukoya, Others, Seeks N15.5Billion In Damages Over Illegal Detention, Breach of Human Rights dated on 6th of February 2024.'”
It reads, "The Publisher of Postreporters by this article and publication offer and tender an unreserved public apology to Dr. Rev. D.K Olukoya for the utterly false and factually incorrect publication made by my online blog/publication on the 6th February 2024.
"I regret and apologize for any damage our publication may have caused Dr. Rev. D.K Olukoya in person and in extension the good people and congregates of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) who rightfully look up to Dr. Rev. D.K Olukoya as their spiritual leader and Shepard (sic).
"The said defamatory publication was made pursuant to false and misleading facts available to me and my blog at the time, which in hindsight I have come to realize was utterly false, misleading and wrong.
"I must honestly admit, that the said publication was at best ‘a bad judgment on my part’ and I sincerely take responsibility for same and by this public apology and retraction I seek the forgiveness of Dr. Rev. D.K Olukoya for my wrong doing. I pray and undertake such will not repeat itself again and I shall carry on with my publication with the best of ethical standard and practice."
Meanwhile, the family source told SaharaReporters that the apology letter was written by the blogger's lawyer.