Drama as Blogger Funke Ashekun & Husband collapse in US Court after $300,000 Defamation Verdict 

Tension erupted into high drama inside a Baltimore County, Maryland courtroom in the United States as blogger Funke Ashekun and her husband reportedly collapsed on separate days following a crushing defamation verdict in favor of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and its General Overseer, Daniel Kolawole Olukoya.

 

A jury at the Baltimore County Circuit Court in Maryland awarded the church $250,000 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages, ruling that Ashekun had engaged in what it described as a “prolonged, intense, and malicious campaign” of libel and defamation and false light against the MFM ministry and its leader.

 

Courtroom sources told Huhuonline.com that emotions ran high even before the verdict was delivered. Ashekun reportedly collapsed a day earlier during proceedings, allegedly after it became apparent that the weight of evidence; and the court’s disposition, was turning decisively against her. In a further dramatic twist, her husband also collapsed the following day while presenting a medical report to the court on her behalf.

 

Legal observers described the incidents as a stark reflection of the mounting pressure surrounding the case, which has drawn attention across both US and Nigerian religious and legal circles. The ruling is widely seen as a major legal victory for the US branch of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, reinforcing its claims that Ashekun’s publications had caused reputational damage. The court reportedly found her evidence and witnesses weak, with key elements deemed inadmissible.

 

The US judgment comes amid parallel legal troubles for Ashekun in Nigeria, where authorities have intensified actions linked to similar allegations. A Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, has ordered her arrest over contempt proceedings tied to ongoing criminal defamation charges.

 

The Nigerian case also involves gospel singer Ayotunde Richards, a former member of the church, who faces multiple counts including cyberstalking, libel, and defamation under the Cybercrimes Act. His bail was revoked after the court determined that social media posts linked to Ashekun had misrepresented court proceedings and scandalized the judiciary.

 

Prosecutors allege that the defamatory content, circulated online between late 2023 and early 2024, targeted Dr. Olukoya with damaging accusations. The court held that Richards himself admitted the posts did not accurately reflect proceedings, further compounding the case against both defendants.

 

With the US civil judgment now delivered and Nigerian criminal proceedings ongoing, the controversy appears far from over. Ashekun faces not only substantial financial penalties abroad but also the prospect of arrest and prosecution at home. The Lagos court has adjourned the matter to April 29, 2026, as legal pressure continues to mount on all parties involved.