Malawi court fines Prophet Bushiri’s lawyer: Defamation case against MP Mannah
Lawyer for Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of the Enlightened Christian Gathering, Christopher Chiphwanya was on Tuesday fined K50, 000 by the Lilongwe High Court Judge Ivy Kamanga in a case where Member of Parliament Jimmy Bauleni Mannah sued the ‘man of God’ for defamation.
Kamanga said the fine is solely for the lawyer because for his negligence on the dealings with the case, saying he submitted his documents to the parties in the case late.
Manna is suing the self-styled prophet Bushiri claiming undisclosed millions for defamation after he said on national television that the lawmaker had impregnated a woman who later aborted the two month’s pregnancy.
The woman, Taonga Jamali, was employed by Bushiri as his secretary and she is named first defendant in the lawsuit.
Chimphanya told the court that he submitted the legal bundle late because the he received the order of directions last month from lawyer representing Mannah, Gift Nankhuni.
“I was working under pressure because of the busy schedule of the second defendant (Bushiri) as he has an international ministry. At the that time, he was ministering in Uganda, Tete, Der-Salaam and South Africa where he held crusades and it was last week when we began taking statements,” he said.
But Kamanga wondered why the prophet could be going round the world yet he has an important case in the courts.
Nankhuni then sought for an adjournment to give him time to go through the defense documents which was submitted to him on Monday evening a move which the Judge accepted.
Bushiri is named as a second defendant, while Shepherd Bushiri Ministries are third defendant; ECG Church and the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation are the fourth and fifth defendants respectively.
Manna, who represents Dowa East, through his lawyers claims that the broadcast of the alleged prophecy by Bushiri on 17th July 2012 was a personal vendetta after Jamali had warned him that she would deal with him after she featured in one of his music videos.
The recording of the programme which he claims will be played in court quotes Bushiri claiming that he had mentioned the parliamentarian’s stage name of Dr. Cloud to prove to him that he was a Man of God, accusing the MP of not believing in his powers.
Observers say the case could determine the future of Bushiri who was gained notoriety over his claims to have prophetic powers.
Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation claimed Bushiri, who is called Major Prophet, lied to his congregation at Masintha ground when he claimed a reporter from the station was at his prayer rally after being queried about finances.
The hearing has been adjourned to a date to be communicated by the court’s registrar.
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