More accusations without evidence
Posted Wednesday 4th July 2007
ANGLICAN-INFORMATION reports that Ruth Gledhill, Religious Affairs correspondent of the Times newspaper, U.K. who was much criticised recently for publishing inaccurate and inflammatory material on her ‘blogsite’ (www.timescolumns.typepad.com/gledhill) with particular reference to accusations about the so-called ‘murder’ of the late Canon Rodney Hunter of Nhkotakota, Diocese of Lake Malawi, Central Africa – is at it again!
We copy below her latest article published Wednesday 4th July together with an early response from Mary Peterson.
More murder in Malawi? By Ruth Gledhill
After the anonymous and odious ordure heaped into my inbox by supporters of Nick Henderson the last time I addressed this topic, I consider myself blessed still to be here. I also find myself courageous enough to dare to write about it again. Especially now I learn of another mysterious death in the strife-riven African diocese of Malawi. A friend sends me this: 'You have probably heard that Michael Saimon was found dead in Nkhotakota, Malawi on Sunday evening. Initial medical reports indicate the method could have been the same as that used to murder Rodney Hunter last November. Michael was secretary of Forward in Faith there and along with Rodney and Cathedral dean Dennis Kayamba was among the opposition to the appointment of Henderson.' Father Kayamba apparently fears he could be next. The final tests for Canon Hunter are being done this week in South Africa so there should be a final pathologists report soon. Michael leaves a wife and three young children (11,9 and 7). Tragic.
POSTED BY RUTH GLEDHILL ON JULY 04, 2007 AT 11:05 AM
TrackBack: Comments
Yet again you have posted a blog which is irresponsible in the extreme in that it will cause serious harm to Malawi and yet is solely based on third party information you have received from the suspended Dean of All Saints Cathedral, Rev’d Denis Kayamba. Already one person continues to be imprisoned with no evidence other than the word of Rev’d Kayamba, a fact that has now come to the attention of organisations such as Amnesty International. If your credibility is not to be ridiculed, I hope you have the decency to produce some hard evidence to substantiate these claims.
(rg writes: a journalist does disclose sources, Mary, but it is a false assumption of yours that this latest information came from Dennis. If you can give me evidence that contradicts this story, I would be delighted to publish it.)
POSTED BY: MARY PETERSON | 4 JUL 2007 14:41:54
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ANGLICAN-INFORMATION states that it is unbelievable that once again Ruth Gledhill of the Times newspaper is prepared to submit the most serious of allegations without any evidence whatsoever. The only common link in all her reporting is the name of the Rev’d Denis Kayamba who is the suspended Dean of All Saints Cathedral, Nkhotakota – Kayamba has a history of suspension for misdemeanours, including violence, going right back to the time of the late Bishop Peter Nyanja. Whatever Ruth Gledhill claims about her sources it is the suspended Kayamba who made the allegations concerning the original case, after which two people were arrested – Bernard Mlota, now free on bail and the hapless Leonard Mondoma, in prison – and now again he is involved with Michael Saimon.
In the meantime, on the same basis (the say-so of Kayamba) Leonard Mondoma, Canon Hunter’s former loyal and faithful cook still languishes in a Malawian prison for supposedly murdering his only source of livelihood and with no evidence whatsoever. The fact that he is still in prison seven months after Kayamba accused him and whilst official pathological reports (that are the only possible evidence against him) are still awaited, reinforces this point.
If there is to be another death under suspicious circumstances it might be that of Mondoma now suffering in terrible and dangerous conditions in prison. Those who make accusations, without any evidence, other than the opinion of one suspended priest, are in danger of being complicit in the tragedy and the subsequent outworking of false accusation. It is not surprising therefore that ANGLICAN-INFORMATION has learned independently that Amnesty International are now taking an interest in this case of how innocent men have been mistreated and who has been responsible for their plight, including journalists.
It will not do for Ruth Gledhill to go on making claims without evidence and there have been a number of examples of her reporting in recent times, published as factual truth and exposed as nonsense. Investigative journalism can never adopt Ruth Gledhill’s excuse ‘give me evidence that contradicts the story’ without losing all credibility. Those of you who are contacted by Ruth Gledhill should be very careful in dealing with her lest your opinions or fancies are translated freely into print as concrete fact.
The evidence regarding the original Rodney Hunter case actually points away from ‘poisoning’ or ‘murder’ as has been release by us in detail already. The so-called poisons were prescription drugs and the so-called ‘signs’ of poisoning an indication of the terminal stages of cancer. In this latest accusation concerning the previously unknown Michael Saimon there is simply no evidence proffered, merely an accusation – Ruth Gledhill couldn’t get away with that in the U.K. without finding herself before the Press Complaints Commission.
Ruth Gledhill’s new career may be beckoning, for what she now writes is not journalism as we know it – an apology is due and many people, including Leonard Mondoma supping this evening on a bit of half-cooked maize, would be pleased to read it.