The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (MFM) has denied being behind the ‘unjust’ nine-year jail term of its former members, Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele.
Church Management said Femi Jimoh is a blatant liar spreading false information having attempted robbing the church off its first fruit offerings of the year. They also cleared the air that the church was not involved in how he was arrested and arraigned in court but the Nigeria Police did so.
Mr Jimoh, in an interview with TV West, alleged that the church fabricated charges of armed robbery against him after he met Pastor Olukoya’s chief security officer, Michael Gbadamosi, at a native doctor’s residence in Ogbomosho, Osun State.
He said he was surprised to see Mr Gbadamosi at the native doctor’s place and didn’t know the purpose of his (Mr Gbadamosi) visit. He claimed that he was as a result framed up for an offence, he knows nothing about and was made to plead guilty in court for him to be set free. He therefore alleged that MFM’s members are unforgiving and mean.
Additionally, Mr Oloruntele, a former usher at the church, during his interview TV West also alleged that Pastor Olukoya ordered the police to shoot him for refusing to testify against a pastor he identified as Femi Agboola. He however claimed that he was prosecuted in 2008 without any substantial evidence supporting the allegations (murder and stealing) against him.
In response to all the allegations directed at the church and its General Overseer, Dr. D.K. Olukoya, the church gave their own account of what actually transpired between the church and former members; Femi Jimoh and Caleb Oloruntele.
MFM’s Chief Legal Adviser, Davidson Adejuwon, said the allegations were false, mischievous, misleading, and cruel. He said the false statements made by Mr Jimoh and Mr Oloruntele have created misconceptions among the public.
The lawyer clarified that the claim that the church and its General Overseer jailed Mr Oloruntele and Mr Jimoh for nine years despite pleas was false. Mr Adejuwon disclosed that the court’s judgment on the criminal trial stated that they (duo) were granted bail but failed to meet the bail conditions.
He said, “Clearly, all that was expected of Mr Jimoh, his mother and relatives, as well as Caleb and his relatives, was to get credible sureties to meet the bail condition, which does not include payment of any sum as being misunderstood by the majority of people who are not lawyers.
Mr. Fatai Adebayo, an eye witness who was almost involved in the planned robbery narrated his own side of the story. He explained how he tried to lure him into robbing the church of its offerings.
“Femi JImoh knows me very well. We were hanging out together that evening to watch a football match. So he told me he had something to discuss with me. Then I invited him to come to my place. On the second day, he came to meet me on Oko-Agon bridge. Then he requested we go to a calm place to have our discussion. I took him to a place called Paragon where we both sat and were drinking beer. Then I asked him what the problem was and he said he was not satisfied with his financial situation. He said shouldn’t we have succeeded by now? I admonished him to endure for God’s time but he insisted there was a way out. He told us we can exploit MFM. I told him I’m a Muslim and not a Christian. He told me not to worry that he was a Pastor at the church. Then he explained how we would carry out the operation. He said the congregation would be heading to the Prayer City by the beginning of February. He said we would trace the movement of offerings collected down to Onike in Yaba. He said offerings collected usually amount to Millions of Naira. He said some people even donate in US Dollars and cheques.”
Also speaking in support of what Mr. Adebayo said was another witness whose name is Mr. Akeem Asalu. He said “Mr. Jimoh and his cohorts told us to play along or he would seek help elsewhere. We were afraid that our lives were also at risk because we didn't know how far he would go after revealed the plan to us.”
One Mr. Tajudeen Oseni described how they spied on them and succeeded in tailing and arresting Mr. JImoh and his gang before they carried out their robbery plans.
“They came to pick me up and called Akeem. I saw the guy and we were told to head to Surulere. That’s how we got to Baba’s place. By the time we got there, the old man requested to know our respective hometowns. I told him that I’m from Ijebu-Ode. Others also told him where they hailed from. The man told us to come back the next day. When we got there, the man gave us a camcorder to fix it on our body. That was how we began the journey which made us meet the police to get the go ahead before we proceeded after which we were able to arrest Pastor Femi, Henry and Caleb and took them to the Police station.
Davidson Adejuwon-Senior Lawyer at MFM gave insights about the several undoings of Mr. Jimoh before he was arrested and trialed by the Nigerian Police.
“When Femi JImoh was working at the church’s press under one Pastor Agboola. There were reports on how he usually stole the church’s books such as ’70 Days Fasting and Prayer’. He would steal them and hide it in a bucket, covering it with overall jackets and detergents, pretending he wanted to wash his clothes at the restroom of the church. We have pastors of the church that can testify to several cases of theft carried out by Femi Jimoh. Even after leaving the Press and started growing as a pastor in the church, there were cases of his wrong doings which made him be reprimanded and sent back to the headquarter. In 2002, when he was posted to Warri, he got involved with so many atrocities, including sleeping with house wives. This made him to be sent back to Lagos.
Mr. Gbadamosi the CSO of Dr. Olukoya denied ever being to Ogbomosho in his life. He said he only hears the name of the ancient and has never been to the place before. He said “I never stepped foot in Ogbomosho all my life. God of all mountains knows that I have never been to Ogbomosho. I don’t know where the native doctor he claimed was leaving, talkless of taking my legs to that place”. Femi Jimoh just decided to rubbish all my credentials without offending him. In fact, I’m disturbed and worried. I’m always with GO who works round the clock.
Also notable among those that testify to debunk Mr. Jimoh’s claims was Retired Commissioner of Police, Kayode Samuel. He was then the DPO superintending over Yaba and Iwaya areas shed more light on the issue. He explained how he got to know about the case and how sent spies to get to know their plans and stop them before they carry out the dastard act.
“we had spies everywhere and they came to my office to alert us about some people planning a robbery operation at the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry which was under my jurisdiction. I’m not a member of the church but my job was to provide security for everybody under my watch as the DPO. On hearing this, I involved one of my OCs, Akeem who we called Saudi to join me in listening to what was said. They told us how the said Femi Jimoh and his cohort wanted to recruit them for the robbery. So, we advised them to keep playing along with them. From their narration, the operation was planned by an insider in the church, Femi, a pastor and Caleb who works as a warden and would be very bloody. In a secret Video clip where they planned to execute the CSO of the church if he hesitates to let them have their way.
“Unknowing to them, we planted a secret camera at the spot where they usually hold their meetings. After holding 2 meetings, they began planning on how to raise funds to buy guns and other ammunition. Then Henry, who was an architect, helped them draw maps and was also consulted to help them procure those things. So, Femi who was the leader of the group and mastermind of the plan deposited 16, 000 as upfront for the guns and ammunition they wanted to buy. They he told others to donate and they would be refunded from the loot once the operation is successful. So, I kept encouraging the guys to keep playing along with them. I had already informed the then commissioner of Police who gave us the go ahead to continue trailing them. So all what Femi Jimoh was saying are lies. He was the mastermind of the plan. They planned to attack the church and rid it of offerings gathered.