A Livingstone Church elder has dragged a church member to the Lusaka High Court, seeking damages for libel for accusing him of being a “thief on the pulpit”.
Reverend Martin Chembo Chama, a presiding elder at Jordan Chapel African Methodist Church in Livingstone, Southern Province, has sued Webster Lukonka, seeking an order for damages for libel, interest on the sums found due, costs and other relief the court might deem fit.
In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court principal registry, November 25, Rev Chama stated that during prime time news aired on Prime Television on February 24, this year, Lukonka uttered defamatory statements aimed at disparaging and undermining him in his capacity as reverend and presiding elder at Jordan Chapel African Methodist Church, Livingstone.
He stated that that Lukonka was heard saying, on the said clip, that; “even if the pastor stands on the pulpit to preach, we are not getting anything because all we see is a thief on the pulpit”.
Rev Chama stated that the said words were understood to mean that he was dishonest, crooked and had stolen money belonging to the African Methodist Church.
Rev Chama lamented that as a result of the broadcast, he had been subjected to odium, contempt and ridicule by right thinking members of society.
Rev Chama added that in consequence, his reputation had been seriously damaged and he had suffered considerable distress and embarrassment.
He contended that Lukonka did not take time to investigate and had no proof of him misappropriating any funds belonging to the church before he uttered the defamatory statement.
Rev Chama further stated that despite various reminders and demands for him to issue a formal apology, Lukonka had failed or neglected to comply or even respond to the demand.
“In the premises, the plaintiff (Rev Chama) has suffered considerable embarrassment and emotional and mental turmoil due to the effect the disparaging comments have had on his reputation as a clergyman,” read the statement of claim.
3 Responses
Dear ND (NEWS DIGGERS), thank you for your genuine publicity and kindly with due respect allow me to pin point, correct and add my voice on your article titled “L/stone church elder sues member for calling him ‘thief on the pulpit’. I am a member of the said church in good and regular standing (a) The elder who runs our district (Livingstone District – which comprises areas all the way from Livingstone to Mazabuka) goes by the name(s) of Rev. Ernest Mulwa Mayuya who has been our elder for four years now therefore any name attached to that designation isn’t lawfully recognized unless changes were made over night by bishop Messiah. (b) The head line of that said news where the alleged appellent claims was called that name had the following “Church Politics as Livingstone Methodist Church Leadership in Hot Soup”. That came as a result of bishop’s maladministration and false reports to which we hold evidence against him in form of hard copies and other materials which I withhold my rights to review. (c) The speaker or defendant in the video made mention of two names (1) bishop, who was being alleged that is being controlled by other pastors hence alikening him to a “puppet”. Indeed, it takes one’s skill to play around with it, to create a visual display. (2) Rev Godfridah Sumaili, Minister of Religious and Guidance who was being called upon to intervene in the matters of the church as leadership was at the verge of tresspassing the law of the church. (3) The church have its own Judicial System to which it’s members have to follow and exhaust even before taking any sort of Civil Case to Court and allow me to quote “members of the African Methodist Church Episcopal Church are hereby required to seek a final determination of any dispute arising between said members and the church and / or any department thereof by exhausting all legal remedies provided in the Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church before Civil Proceedings are engaged in by the said member in his or her own behalf, or anyone similary situated”. This is according to Part XVI, Section XVI, Article I. 8. page 364 of the Book of Doctrine and Discipline, 2016 AME Church, Bicentennial Edition. The big question to ask here is, was this matter presented at any church or our Judicail Committee? Was the Judicial Adminstration / process of our church exhausted as prescribed in our law before the case found itself in the hands of the high courts? For now this could be my mutual contribution and in line with events as they unfolded and also what our church law states. You can find out more from Jordan Chapel AME Church, Board of Stewards in Libuyu, D Compound, Livingstone Zambia, or get in touch with the Church Secretary Sis. Florence Sana. Also do not hesistate to contact me for any advise relating to the law of our church.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Judging Problems Between Believers
6 When one of you has something against someone else in your group, why do you go to the judges in the law courts? The way they think and live is wrong. So why do you let them decide who is right? Why don’t you let God’s holy people decide who is right? 2 Don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? So if you will judge the world, then surely you can judge small arguments like this. 3 You know that in the future we will judge angels. So surely we can judge life’s ordinary problems. 4 So if you have such matters to be judged, why do you take them to those who are not part of the church? They mean nothing to you. 5 I say this to shame you. Surely there is someone in your group wise enough to judge a complaint between two believers. 6 But now one believer goes to court against another, and you let people who are not believers judge their case!
7 The lawsuits that you have against each other show that you are already defeated. It would be better for you to let someone wrong you. It would be better to let someone cheat you. 8 But you are the ones doing wrong and cheating. And you do this to your own brothers and sisters in Christ!
It is shameful if we fail to be followers Jesus. Christianity is forgiveness…