HIGH Court judge Justice David Mangota, on Monday reserved ruling in the lawsuit in which United Family International Church (UFIC) founder and leader Emmanuel Makandiwa and his wife, Ruth are being sued for $6,5 million by their former congregants and businessman Upenyu Mashangwa and his wife, Blessing, over alleged false prophecies.
Through their attorney, Lewis Uriri, the Makandiwas, filed an exception applies to the lawsuit in September this year and urged the court to decline to entertain the matter arguing that secular courts could not deal with issues involving matters of faith, church practice and doctrine.
“The plaintiffs (Mashangwas) summons and declaration are further inexpiable on the ground that they are vague and embarrassing and the vagueness and embarrassment go to the root cause of the action…..the plaintiffs are seeking to invite a secular court to inquire into matters of faith and the observance thereof being matters in respect of which a circular court is not equipped to inquire into.”
But, the Mashangawas Advocate Thabani Mpofu countered the exception application and urged the prophets not to hide behind curtains of legalism and subterfuge but to take a stand and make a claim before the court.
In response the business couple said:
“instead of meeting the claims head on and establishing the truth of their representations, the prophets had decided to hide behind curtains of legalism and subterfuge. The power of God is undoubted and every believer would believe that God can do anything. The case brought however, is that God had not spoken to the Makandiwas about debt cancellation, they abused the name of God and took advantage of their congregants who believe in the power of God and who were of the view that the ‘prophets’ had communion with Him.The plaintiffs allege that the false and fraudulent representation having been made, they took certain decisions to their prejudice. A self-respecting, self-proclaimed prophet must react to these allegations and meet them head on. These, strike at everything that defendants stand for. That a claim lies when a fraudulent misrepresentation is made is beyond doubt.”
It was therefore in light of all these developments and revelations that His Worship David Mangota decided to shelve the case.
