A court in the United States has ordered Olufunke Ashekun to pay $300,000 in damages for defaming the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) USA Incorporated and its founder, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
The ruling was delivered by the Circuit Court of Baltimore County, Maryland, following a legal dispute between Ashekun and the church over a series of social media posts and campaigns which the ministry described as defamatory and damaging to its reputation.
In a statement released on Sunday, the church disclosed that the jury found Ashekun liable for “defamation and false light,” and subsequently ordered her to pay compensatory damages of $250,000 as well as punitive damages of $50,000. The punitive damages, according to the court, were imposed to serve as a deterrent against the spread of unfounded allegations.
According to the statement, the judgment was delivered on March 13, 2026, in the case titled Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries USA, Inc. v. Olufunke Ashekun.
The court held that the plaintiff successfully proved its claims during the proceedings. It also criticised the defence presented by Ashekun, describing parts of the evidence and witness testimonies as weak and inadmissible.
The court further noted that Ashekun’s actions constituted a prolonged and malicious campaign that significantly harmed the church’s professional integrity and public reputation.
Parts of the statement read: “In granting the judgment and damages, the court recognised the prolonged, intense and malicious campaign conducted by Olufunke Ashekun against Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries USA, Inc., which was seriously concerned about the reach and extent of her destructive rhetoric.”
The church also revealed dramatic moments that reportedly occurred shortly before the verdict was delivered. According to the statement, Ashekun slumped in court a day before the jury’s ruling after realising that the case had overwhelmingly turned against her. She was said to have been taken out of the courtroom by an emergency 911 ambulance.
The statement added that the following day, Ashekun’s husband also slumped in court shortly after the jury announced its decision in favour of the church.
