The Queens Bench Division of the UK High Court Justice has released the damages it earlier ordered a blogger, Maureen Badejo, to pay to Dr. Daniel Olukoya, founder and General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, and his wife, Folashade.
This was sighted in the document released by Dr. Olukoya’s spokesman, Collins Edomaruse, on Tuesday.
In it, the court ordered the blogger to pay £100,000 to the couple as damages for the series of defamatory publications she published against them.
The Court, with Justice Tipples presiding, on October 22, 2021 in the case between MFM, Olukoya and his wife and Badejo, gave the following order:
“UPON the First Claimant having discontinued its claim by notice dated 7 January 2021
“AND UPON the Second and Third Claimants’ application under paragraph 5 of the order of Master Thornett dated 13 April 2021 to have determined the issues of damages and orders under sections 12 and 13 of the Defamation Act 2013, dated 3 August 2021 (‘the Remedies Application’)
“AND UPON the Second and Third Claimants’ application for contempt of court dated 2 August 2021 (‘the Contempt Application’)
“AND UPON reading the witness statements of the Second Claimant dated 14 October 2020, 22 October 2020, 8 December 2020 and 8 March 2021 and the affidavit of the Second Claimant dated 29 July 2021, and the witness statements of the Third Claimant dated 8 December 2020 and 7 January 2021
“AND UPON reading the witness statements of the Defendant dated 12 August and 30 September 2021 together with their exhibits 2
“AND UPON hearing counsel for the Claimants and the Defendant in person on 21 and
22 October 2021
“AND UPON it appearing that the parties will be unable to agree any of the matters
under section 12(4) of the Defamation Act 2013 (‘the 2013 Act’)
“IT IS ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the damages payable by the Defendant to the Second Claimant be assessed in the sum of £65,000
“AND IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the damages payable by the
Defendant to the Third Claimant be assessed in the sum of £35,000.
“AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT:
“1. The Defendant be ordered to publish a summary of the court’s judgment pursuant to section 12(1) of the 2013 Act.
“2. The parties are directed to agree the wording of any summary by 10am on Monday 26 October 2021. If the parties cannot agree the wording, the wording is to be settled by the court under section 12(3) of the 2013 Act and the court will give such directions as it considers reasonable and practicable in the circumstances under section 12(4) of the 2013 Act.
“3. The Claimants’ claim to an order under section 13 of the 2013 Act is adjourned with to liberty to restore.
“4. The Defendant is to pay the Claimants’ costs of the Remedies Application to be subject to detailed assessment on the standard basis, if not agreed.
“5. The Claimants be permitted to discontinue the Contempt Application.
“6. The Claimants are to pay the Defendant’s costs of the Contempt Application (if any) to be subject to detailed assessment on the standard basis, if not agreed.”
