RAPE CASE: Lusaka woman reveals not telling husband on John General’s prayer visit
A LUSAKA woman has told the court during cross- examination that she did not inform her husband when John Nundwe, also known as Bishop John General was coming to their home for prayers, despite allegations that the bishop sexually assaulted her during the visit.
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The woman, identified only as EN, explained yesterday that she decided to visit Bishop Nundwe for prayers after watching testimonies on his Prophetic TV channel.
She claimed that the channel featured stories of people healed from diseases like HIV and others who had successfully conceived children.
Desperate to overcome fertility issues, EN later invited the bishop to her house on November 22, 2023, to seek his prayers.
In the ongoing trial, Nundwe, a pastor at Miracle Impact International, is facing one count of rape.
He is accused of sexually assaulting EN without her consent during the prayer visit.
During cross-examination, defense lawyers, Yokonia Daka and Elijah Siatwambo questioned EN about the details of her communications with the bishop and the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault.
The woman told the Lusaka Magistrates’ court that she became confused when Bishop John General sent her a message “Bwela Tupange” because she didn’t know what he meant.
She said the message came after she asked John General what she should do for her to have a baby.
EN said the bishop did not explain to her if the message meant having sexual intercourse with her.
The plaintiff told the court she got married to her husband in 2019 and has been having problems in conceiving which made her seek prayers.
“Check the messages on the print out document by ZICTA and tell court how many text messages are there?” One of the defence lawyers asked.
“There are 11 text messages altogether,” she responded.
When asked how many messages she sent out of the 11, she said she sent 10 messages.
And Daka, one of the defence lawyers asked why the ZICTA report showed some deleted messages from her end.
In response she said the deleted message read “the anointing oil I was given was making me weak.”
Further asked why she deleted she said, she couldn’t remember.
The victim said she couldn’t remember other deleted messages.
She said she was the one who invited Bishop to her house to conduct prayers.
When asked if she informed her husband if the bishop was coming on a particular day, she responded in the negative.
When another lawyer, Elijah Siatwambo asked if there was anyone who witnessed the alleged rape, the witness said no one witnessed.
EN said she didn’t tell her husband that bishop was coming home to offer prayers until he left at around 11:00 hours.
“You can confirm that the first time you called my client on the day of the alleged rape was around 12 hours?” Yes. “It was one hour just after your husband left the house that’s when you called my client? Yes, she responded.
Magistrate Amy Masoja adjourned the matter to April 7, 2025.
By Lucy Phiri
CAPTION PHOTO: John General and wife at the Lusaka Magistrate Court
Kalemba March 1, 2025.