Malawi Pregnant woman drags church to court for defamation

Ntchisi, January 24: 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.

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.