Malawi court fines CCAP Church for defaming pregnant mom
CCAP church in Ntchisi was on Friday ordered to pay K130,000 as compensation to a pregnant woman who dragged the church to court for defamation, after delegates from the church confronted her to enquire if the man responsible for her pregnancy was a member of their church.
The woman, Ruth Maundu,32, complained that her rights to privacy was infringed and her name defamed due to the enquiry that the church carried on her.
Speaking in defense during court proceedings, one of the senior members of the church, Michael Kamende, said the church did not intend to defame the woman but was clearing the church’s image which was at stake as there were rumours that one of the senior members of the church was going out with the lady.
“Each time our senior member stood up to preach in church, the congregation murmured in protest due to the rumour surrounding him. Ours was just an enquiry so that we could discipline our member if it was discovered to be true,” said Kamende, who spoke emphatically with gestures throughout trying to save the church’s face.
He said the church didn’t see any problem with the action it took to clear the mist using the woman but said ‘unfortunately’ the woman aimed at embarrassing the church.
“I don’t see the reason why we are in court over this issue today. This could have been sorted within ourselves and the chief of the area but the woman only thought and chose to embarrass our church for her own interest,” said the church elder.
Apart from Kamende who was leader of the church’s defense, other two church leaders entered the docks trying to save the church by testifying. The woman insisted and pressured the church to prove if they considered her rights to privacy and her name in their enquiry which she said involved a number of people risking her dignity and privacy.
However, Second Grade Magistrate Young Ng’oma, adjourned the proceedings for a couple of minutes for judgment and reappeared with judgment file a little later as the church members who filled the court to capacity, held their breath.
Reading the judgment, Ng’oma said the church was at fault as it went outside its bounds as the woman involved, belonged to a different church and that the church failed to prove that there was a relationship between its member and the woman.
The magistrate said due to the enquiry, the woman’s name was defamed, her rights to privacy infringed and psychologically affected by church’s action.
He then ordered the church to compensate the woman with K130 ,000, the ruling that did not go well with the CCAP members present who chanted songs of sorrow outside the court.
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Mwaachita bwino aakulu ampingowa aatolere chachikhumi akapereke kwa wolakwayo.
A good lesson to all in power not to use their authority abusively and selfishly.Not a good development for all christiendom.Kapena titi,mwachititsa manyazi chikhristu chonse,atsogoleri a mpingu opusa inu.
Wa achita bwino chemwali thats not church business, mimba its a private and you know what you are doing , you know the owner of the pregnancy iwo ana awo akatenga mimba a mpingo anabwerako kuzamfusa kuti mimba ndi ya ndani. Nkhoma Synod shame on you ine nchifukwa chake ndinachidomoka chi mpingo chimenechi, kulondana kwabasi koma ana awo amawakanika. Udye ndalamazo chemwali mtima m’malo anakuputira dala, wachita bwino ndipo wachita bwino, ndikutitu waachita bwino.
The church did a wrong think why asking the woman who is not their member. The woman has no mandate to mention the responsible man as that its not the issue to discus. Privacy violation indeed to ths woman and embarasment which shldnt be tolarated any gud at all, lets not hide in the name of the church but protocol be followed at any situation. The church has an obligation to promote privacy to individuals at any situation, that is a true church. Akuluampingo samalani zochitika zanu ngati simudziwa kufufuza let other ppl do for u on behalf eg u… Read more »
God will never be mocked, magistrate court may vindicate you. You can eat church money. But God knows the whole truth. One day the righteous judge will judge righteously. If I was a member of this church I would give K30,000 out of my pocket.
Simply the church went beyond its jurisdiction. How could they summon somebody who is not affiliated to their church? Tulo akulo ampingo a majekete ngati a Mchona.
Big up young ng’oma ena atengerepo lesson
So let the woman reveal the father of the baby she is carrying,if she fails then chances are the church gurus were right,why was it so hard to just say,no,yhe alleged persob is not the father,and settle the issue outside courts,this woman id alduterous and no church can allow that
While what ever happened between the member of the church and the woman is true. the church was supposed to act in love the spirit of God is a spirit of order not chaos what ever these members were doing was trying to prove themselves holy than the woman this should have been a private issue. why not call the woman to the church in private. this reminds me of that woman caught in adultery the men wanted to scandalise her but Jesus proved them wrong.Let’s act in true rightiousness and not hypocrisy
God help us