Malawi  expectant mom sues CCAP church for defamation

January 24, 2015 Malawi News Agency 90 Comments

A pregnant woman in Ntchisi has dragged Ntchisi CCAP church to court for allegedly defaming her after members of the church confronted her to enquire if the man responsible for the pregnancy was a member of their church.

Portrait of pregnant African woman:Image by © Terry Vine/Blend Images/Corbis
Portrait of pregnant African woman:Image by © Terry Vine/Blend Images/Corbis

The woman, Ruth Maundu, 32, complained that her rights to privacy were infringed and her name defamed due to the enquiry that the church was carrying on her.

“There is no way the whole church could be discussing me and my pregnancy. If I was a member of their church, it could be okay but am not. Yet they are on me for their in-house problems,” said the woman in court.

Details of the case were that one of the elder members of the church was suspected to have been going out with Ruth and later it was rumoured that he had impregnated her.

The church instituted an enquiry group to get the truth of the matter so that the suspected member could be excommunicated to ‘maintain the dignity of the church’ that’s according to a Mr. Chisudzi, one of the elders who represented the church on the case.

The church which was represented by 9 members was at task to explain in court on why it went out to enquire on a woman who was not the member of the church.

Speaking in court, Ruth said she was very surprised with the enquiry considering that she was married and that she did not belong to the CCAP.

“I feel my privacy has been infringed and my name defamed. People are taking me to be a prostitute and this has affected my marriage. My husband is angry with the news and has stopped supporting me. That’s why I want the church to compensate me for the damages,” said Ruth.

When the magistrate asked her how much she wanted for compensation. Ruth who is a business lady at Ntchisi Trading Centre could not be drawn to mention the amount she expected for the damages but said it was the court’s discretion to determine the amount for the damages.

Second Grade magistrate Young Ng’oma adjourned the case to 27th January when the church will defend itself and asked the 9 representatives to choose a leader who would speak on behalf of the church.

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90 replies on “Malawi  expectant mom sues CCAP church for defamation”

  2. # suicide bonza.leave sda alone,sin is sin.no church can condone that according to the teaching of the master Jesus.how can yu label another church for a particular sin and take yurself as holy.search yurself and repent.dont take what those reciting poetly says.

  4. amayi ngati mumapemphera ndibwino kungogwada kwa mulungu wanu chifukwa mukalimbana ndianthu sizikunthandizani konse.these are endtimes coz munthu kutengera mpingo kukhoti ayi ndithu.

  9. chilipo chinachitika ndi mtsogoleri ameneyu atsogoleri sangangomuganizira ayi,mkuluwampingoyu mkutheka anadya mayiyu.koma kuti manasoweka mzeru ndipopita kukafufuza kwa mayiyu amene si membara wa CCAP.koma izi sizachilendo azitsogoleri ambiri akudyerera azimayi mwa mseri ena mpakana mahule akumadya ndithu.Ambuye atithandiz

  12. Haaaaaaaaa Religious leaders !!!!!!!!!! When are you going to learn ?????????????????? Your fellow leaders did the same to a woman when our Lord and Saviour CHRIST JESUS came to redeem us. All what our Lord did was to save the woman from death. That was a huge lesson that churches should not deal with the end result but the cause, the devil.

    If there was suspicion you could have called for serious prayers for revival against sinful conducts among members and not dealing with one case. That way you could have dealt with so many such men and women both inside and outside by spiritual warfare.
    Stop hipocricy religious leaders.

  18. Jesus Christ your the Lord of truth, Love and Life. As per this case your the only one can judge.

  20. This court has no power to prosecute a defamation case. The church can easily apply for a stop to the proceedings in the high court. Any decision in this magistrate court is null and void. There is no defamation here.

  21. Wasting time with bitches, church leader must serve wth the truth not lies. This church is like apolitical party, ful of hypocr- evil men.

  27. End times! People standing up for rights! Church looking for sins! Gospel of prosperity is the order the day.

  31. AKHOTI MUYANG’ANE BWINO NKHANIYI BCAUSE MAYIYU NGOKWATIWA KOMANSO NGWA BUSINESS MWINA CAPITAL YAYAMBA KUGWA NDIYE AKUFUNA KENAKAKE APATU PALIUTAMBWALI MBIMBAYO NJAMUNA AKE ANGOGWIRIZANA ANTHU AWA. ZAUSATANIC BASI KUFUNA KUGWESANA ETI.

  33. Ndikudabwa ndi ma komenti wopusa. Kodi Ccap was it right umakafunsa za mimba ya munthu outside their xhurch? Kodi mimba munthu amachita ukamufunsa kuti ndi yandani? Ccap paja muli umfiti zedi ndiye munthu atafa ndi mimba imeneyo muziti chani?

  34. He was only being human. Sex sitchimo it’s part of nature-ndichelengedwa. Mumukweze paudindo because he has fulfilled mau oti mukachulukane ngati mchenga

  35. We hear of people killing others in the name of religion. We hear people extorting money from gullible believers all in the name of religion. Now some people are infringing on other people’s right just because of the same religion. The world would surely be a better place without religious zealots. A lot of time is wasted on religious activities. Time that could be used productively. Countries like Japan, China, Germany, Sweden etc do not waste time on such things that’s why they are ahead

  36. Tinene kuti inu munapita kukafufuza zamayiyu simukwata kapena simukwatidwa,zauchitsilu basi.Kodi a ccap mmazitanga ngati anthu olungama bwanji,ufiti uli thooo,zauhule sizinasiye mpingo musatipusitse,yambani kufufuza m’busa wanu pompo ngati simumupeza kuti amakwata mayi wa church pompo,katangale ndiye sitingachite kunena.Mumulipiratu mayiyu.Shame on you

  37. This court has no power to handle any issue on defamation. Any decision made from that case is null and void and can easily be challenged in the high court. This is my legal advice to the church. The complainant should lodge her claim in the high court. These magistrates should be properly trained in legal issues. When you attend court next time church please ask about whether this court has jurisdiction to handle this case and you can apply in the high court to have proceedings stoped until a determination is made by the higher court.

  38. This woman is a beach. One can not go to court and complain that her husband has stopped assisting her because of the inquiry . Where is the husband? If the husband was staying together with the woman I dont think the statement could be “stoppage of assistance” but end of marriage. I strongly feel the husband has a wife . Ichi ndi chikheba chabe. No husband can stop assisting a wife ali mnyumba mommo. Mwina chithandizo chake ncha ujenitu…………

    I dont see any problem with the church elders doing the inquiry . They just want to clear their member. If huleyu says no then the matter ends there.Why out of all the girls and women in Ntchisi did people speculate only her. It means they have evidence.

  40. CCAP isn’t the church but the group of people who have categorised themselves into diferent tribes. John Calvin was a believer bt not the today’s CCAP’s. You must deal with your Church elder not with that woman because she is not from CCAP OKY? Why infringing her privacy like that.

  41. CBK you’re 100% correct elderly women would have gone there at least this issue could have a different face. On the other hand if the church’s disciplinary committee questioned the elder in question & refused there was no need to go into FBI tactics it’s not the duty of the Church to do so. Truth & honesty are some of the paramount pillars of Christianity so one my confess voluntarily when one commits a sin not to be squeezed then you’re taking over the police job.

  42. Kodi ndi zodabwitsa mzimayi wa pa banja kukhala ndi mimba? Koma inu a nkhoma synod mukumaonjeza. Nde kuyi mamuna wakeyo ndi osabereka. Asawasiye akulu a mpingo opanda mzeru amenewo. Malo molimbikira kutolera 400mita anaba azibusa anu ija

  45. Anadonyoletsa basi asakane, vuto la tchimo kulibe chinsisi. Lapa mlongo nthawi ukanali nayo basi. Utsi sufuka popanda moto, kalipo kalipo ndithu. Katundu ana tafunidwa uyu. Ndimayesa ili ndi tchimo la a 7 okha kuti awa koma ufiti, nanga apa zataninso mwasiya kutamba nkulowerera machimo a sevesi de?

  46. zisilu za sisepi(KAYA NDI CCAP KOMWEKO) mumulipile mmayiyu basi agalu inu kutengela zinthu pa mgong’o mapeto ake ndizo mwanyula wats even a fuss if at all indeed she was banged and impregnated by one of ur elders?..which one of u dint come on earth thru pregnancy that u dumb asses make a fuss n even enquire on who the bonker was? a life each one of u.

  47. elderly women should have gone there,why men going to inquire?yu never know these guys had bad motives to their fellow.sometimes we men of GOD we should be treading carefully.it might be true but approach.awili sayenda asadapangane.the devil is clever.

  49. Indeed there was need of patience sometimes we rush into things without full understanding.This is unfair for the body of Christ

  51. I totally think the church was wrong to interrogate the girl. It is their member they shud quizz. If he said no, the next thing was to go into serious prayer for God to reveal the truth. Afterall the baby is not yet born, akabadwa everyone wud see who the father is. Patience is a fruit of the spirit akulu ampingo u cudve exercised it. A lesson to other church leaders. The person to quizz is yr member, u shud be a brothers keeper of yr fellow Christian osati mu heathern.

  54. Mpaka team ya a mpingo onsewo? Inu osamufunsa church elder mukumukayikirayo bwanji? After all mimbayo ndi innocent creature from God alrcreated in the image of God. Ngati mamunayo wakana musiyeni wodandaula a akanakhala mkaziyo pakanakhala vuto. Musamuweruze mayiyu, who are you to judge. Magistrate alipilitseni K2,000,000.00 aliyense mwa 9 wo.

  56. Kaya mimbayi ndi yakuchigololo komabe abusawa alephera ntchito yawo, maka kut mkaziyu simembala wao. Church elderyo anakacheza ndi satana. Zomvetsa chisoni.

  57. Did she hire the church elder tó do the job which the said husband was failing? wakwiya chifukwa amafuna chinsisi. Bola fisiyo wagwira ntchito yotamandika (mimba) but get prepared for God’s punishment.

  59. Did she hire the church elder tó do the job which the said husband was failing? wakwiya chifukwa amafuna chinsisi. Bola fisiyo wagwira ntchito yotamandika (mimba)

  62. This woman feels big than the church. Si Hule ameneyu .Lets hope She should not be cursed in process

  67. The Church does not only mandated to enquire from its members only, if this lady was moving around with the Church elder then the Church is right and Why should these dishonoured Courts choose to entertain the woman? She must be ashamed because there’s no smoke without fire mzimayiyu akudziwa but she is deliberately clinging to the devil’s choice but the devil is always a failure and this woman will fail even if she can be favoured by these failed courts. God is in control

  68. koma Nyasa Times thanks for the story but the picture not culturally befitting.let us respect our women.sumunakatha kuika chithunzi mzimai atabisa mimbayo?ana anthutu amawerenga izi

  70. Things looks not to adding up. It is noted the woman is married. But does she live together with her husband, coz the story looks hanging on that respect? If not then any suspicion is welcome only that the mode of investigation applied by the elders was not proper one. The elders should have used objective and non demeaning ways of investigation, possibly using one of women guilds members.

  71. Mwina abusa a mpingowu adakanidwa ndi mkaziyu.Amayi atengetseni anthu opanda nzeruwa.Iwo akusiiranji kulapa matchimo awowo.Shupiti zawo.

  72. From Balaka(southern region) to Ntchisi(central region) the same day.Y churches?we hope we’ll ‘ve another news from northern region then.

  74. She wants some money since the hussy stopped helping her,So please the church help,simple and straight forward.she is a business lady anyway,you know women business.

  75. In my view the church was not wrong to enquire the complainant on trying to gather evidence if really the member of their congregation was responsible for the rumours that would without no doubt dent the image of the Church however it depends on how the church approached the complainant and if they went on top of the hill then surely the issue of defamation is valid otherwise there is no case against the church because there is no way the church could come to the conclusion of the matter without involving the concerned individuals. More over defamation is always valid when you are falsely accused and in this case there is no such a thing as an accuse against the complainant they were just enquiring from her which is not a crime at all.

  76. She shoold have sued in the high court for more compensation magistrate court will award her lesser compensation

  77. Adultery is a sin. Churches have a responsibility to safeguard holiness in the church. If u happen to be fornicating which may or may not be true then do not hide behind rights. Churches should not be intimidated God is their master.

  79. hahahahaaaaa!
    NKHOMA synod tsopano!.
    Wakhala pang’ono ALEX nayenso asumile EDUCATION DEPARTMENT!
    case ija a KAMUNGA anamunazila ku MVERA GIRLS 2009 wayiwina!
    Koma ndiye mumva kuwawa”

  82. Hmm amalawi mpaka kutengera wanthu wa mulungu ku court ndikuona ngati kulingati kulimbana ndi mulungu mwini ku amerika munthu anasumilapo mulungu (it just a movie) so mzimayi iwe wasumilanso mulungu indirect komano live

  83. Amene Sanachimwepo Ayambe Ndi Iye Kumugenda Zimayiyu. A CCAP Mukuonjeza Kwambili Chinkhalidwe Chosakana. Ku Thondwenso Amasiye Ndi Azao Akhala Akumatsakatsaka Adzizawo Ngati Kuti Iwowo Ndi Mphwawo Wa Yesu. Bwanji Mumatanganidwa Ndikuona Zochimwa Zazamu Chosecho Muli Akakhwetsi.

  85. i find the picture insulting to african women. You could have written the story without it. What I find puzzling is that the picture is not adding any value to your story. We need to be responsible in discharging our duties as journalists.

  87. Koma mayi waphuli iwe Uli bho! ngati akukana atchalichiwo ine ndilipo ndikutenga, mwanayo ndikalera uku tukupanga ena

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