Desire for a child made me allow my wife to seek John General’s help – Witness

Desire for a child made me allow my wife to seek John General’s help – Witness

THE husband of a woman at the centre of Bishop John General’s rape case says the couple’s lack of children made him allow his wife to seek the Papa’s spiritual intervention.

This is in a matter where the ‘lecherous’ cleric and owner of Impact Life International ministries, John Nundwe is charged with rape before the Lusaka magistrates Court.

During cross examination by Nundwe’s lawyer Yokonia Daka, before magistrate Amy Masoja the witness said after his wife had an ectopic pregnancy, she longed for a child and continued seeking solutions to save her the shame of being called a sterile woman.

When asked if the cleric asked his wife to spread her legs open and stop wasting his time, the witness responded in the affirmative.

He confirmed that he also heard his wife asking the preacher to set her free.

He said based on the conversation, he could confirm that there was no consent from his wife.

He confirmed that when he entered the bedroom in a few seconds, he saw Nundwe pull his wife’s underwear and sanitary pad to the side before penetrating into her vagina.

When asked if the wife bathed after the alleged rape incident, the man responded in the affirmative.

Daka asked the witness if the traumatized wife, who could not speak during interrogations by the police managed to fetch water for bathing, and he responded in the affirmative.

The witness confirmed that whilst he was playing cat and mouse game with Nundwe, his wife discarded the pad and washed her underwear because it was stained.

Asked if his wife wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions request that the rape charges against her pastor be dropped, the witness confirmed.

When asked why some elders had to reconcile him with his wife if at all she did nothing wrong, the man explained that his wife had sex with another man in his house hence, he needed counsel from the elders so that the couple could patch things up.

Asked if the couple reconciled because she demanded K800, 000 from Nundwe, the witness denied.

During cross examination by Elijah Siatwambo the witness confirmed that, Nundwe had never been to his house before the alleged rape incident, and that his wife is the one who gave him directions to their house.

He agreed that since his wife never informed him that Nundwe would visit their home on the date in question, she was capable of withholding information from him because, he does not allow his wife to welcome male visitors in his absence.

Asked if his wife had informed him that she had invited Nundwe to collect offering from their home, the witness denied.

When asked that praying for a child and a house are different, the witness said was infuriated and sought the court’s permission if he could cross examine Siatwambo instead.

Magistrate Masoja guided that ; “Just answer the questions, this is cross examination they will ask you anything and take you anywhere. Just answer don’t be annoyed, be calm am not just recording what you are saying, am also paying attention to your demeanor so just be calm.”

When asked if they were both troubled for being childless as a couple the witness confirmed saying they both needed to hear the cry of a baby in their home.

He agreed that since his wife was prayed for at Nundwe’s church it was imperative for him to be present when the cleric visited their home.

Asked where Nundwe placed his other hand when he pushed the wife’s pant and sanitary pad aside, the man said he did not know.

When asked if a man needs to use his hands to guide his manhood to penetrate a woman’s vagina, the witness said during sex, penetration can occur without the assistance of the hands.

He further confirmed that he was not privy to their communication, and he was not in a position to dispute that his wife invited Nundwe to his home to ‘sow a seed’.

Cross examination continues on October 9 ,21, and 22.

By Mwaka Ndawa

Kalemba September 7, 2024.