– May 8, 2026
A Maryland-based appellate court in the United States has upheld a $300,000 defamation judgment against controversial blogger, Funke Ashekun, in favour of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) USA, Inc.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday by the Appellate Court of Maryland, dismissed Ashekun’s appeal and affirmed the earlier judgment of the Baltimore County Circuit Court, which had found her liable for defaming the church and its General Overseer, Daniel Olukoya.
The lower court had, on March 13, 2026, awarded compensatory damages of $300,000 against Ashekun following claims that her publications and online commentaries damaged the reputation of MFM USA and its leadership.
According to court documents, the appellate court granted the motion filed by MFM USA to dismiss Ashekun’s appeal pursuant to Maryland law, thereby allowing the original judgment to stand.
The case, titled Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries USA, Inc. v. Olufunke Ashekun, stemmed from allegations that the blogger published defamatory statements and false claims against the church and its leader.
In its reaction to the ruling, MFM USA described the judgment as a “decisive legal triumph” and a complete vindication of the ministry’s reputation.
“This ruling confirms that the underlying judgment in the Circuit Court was sound, proper, and just,” the ministry said in a statement.
The church further stated that the dismissal of the appeal reinforced the legitimacy of the lower court’s findings on defamation and false light claims brought against Ashekun.
Ashekun, a former member of MFM and a US-based blogger, has for years been a vocal critic of the church and Daniel Olukoya, making several allegations against the ministry on social media and other online platforms.
Legal analysts say the judgment highlights the growing consequences of online defamation and cyberbullying, especially where false statements are presented as facts capable of damaging reputations.
