International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC) leader Michael Sandlana has declared an unholy war against Moja Love presenter Nimrod Nkosi after he allegedly accused the Bible puncher of practising witchcraft, among other things.
Sandlana, who is the leader of the Jerusalem faction in North West that broke away from the main church at Silo, in Zuurbekom, south of Joburg, is demanding R2-million from Nkosi, a public apology, and a retraction of the “defamatory” allegations he levelled
against him.
In the court papers, which we have seen, Sandlana stated that Nkosi, who is the host of the show AmaBishop, which exposes unscrupulous clergymen’s indiscretions, defamed him when he interviewed his wife, Magalane.
He said during the show,
Nkosi and his wife discussed crime, abuse of women, and witchcraft before enquiring whether she faced pressure to wed the clergyman.
He said Nkosi also asked his wife about the pastor’s “satellite”, which enables him to see in darkness.
“Let me come to you, ma’am [referring to Magalane]. How does witchcraft fit in, because there’s a satellite that you say he has? And he sees in darkness?
“Where does he get those powers?” Nkosi asked Sandlana’s wife, according to the papers.
The former Jam Alley presenter also asked Sandlana’s wife if she contemplated suicide as a result of the man of God’s abusive tendencies towards her.
“Some people would give in and want to take their lives [a proposition put to Magalane]. Did you come to a point where you contemplated suicide?”
Nkosi, according to the papers, also asked her about the allegation that Sandlana faked her death in a bid to claim an insurance policy.
“Now … coming to the point of him faking your death, this is amazing to me. Apparently, he did a Makavelian [sic] style to say you were dead, yet you were alive; it happened there?”
Nkosi also asked the bishop’s wife during the show if she knew that Sandlana was a criminal.
“Uhm, Lethabo [Magalane]. This man was a criminal. Did you know that? But did you know that he was a jailbird? Did you know his history, his past?”
Sandlana argued that Nkosi’s statements were defamatory because a reasonable viewer of the episode would interpret them as implying that he lacks honesty or integrity and that his actions would lead his wife to commit suicide.
They were also understood, Sandlana further stated, to mean that he was a hypocrite who practises witchcraft, a criminal and a jailbird who engaged in identity fraud in dealing with his wife.
Sandlana also said the statements Nkosi allegedly made also created the impression that he was a controlling, manipulative and abusive bully who does not care about the welfare of his wife.
“The publication of the statements contained in episode three by the defendant on the channel and on the Showmax streaming service was wrongful, unwarranted, and defamatory of the plaintiff.
“As a result of the defamation, the plaintiff has been damaged in his reputation and
dignity and has suffered damages as a result of the conduct of the defendant in the amount of R2 000 000,” read the court papers.
Sandlana has asked for judgment against Nkosi.
“Directing the defendant to make a full retraction of the defamatory statements made during episode three, including informing the producers of episode three that the
defendant unconditionally retracts the statements.”
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