Papa John General says couple forced him to strip, courtroom left wondering who needed deliverance
If the biblical story of Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s wife had a modern-day remake, one self-styled prophet believes it would involve running through Jamaica Compound with nothing but faith and the wind for company
Lusaka, 30 June – Self-appointed prophet John General has maintained his defence before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, insisting that the woman accusing him of rape, together with her husband, turned the tables on him by forcing him to remove his clothes at gunpoint before he escaped into the streets completely naked.
The controversial preacher, whose government-recognised name is John Nundwe, is on trial over allegations that he raped one of his married followers. He denies the charge and has been presenting his defence after the court ruled earlier this year that he had a case to answer.
Appearing before a packed courtroom with a hairstyle that seemed determined to testify alongside him, the preacher narrated what can only be described as one of the more unusual escape stories to reach the courts.
According to his testimony, he had gone to the couple’s home in Jamaica Compound solely to pray for them after they allegedly promised him a vehicle, proving that while Solomon asked for wisdom, some modern-day prophets apparently accept horsepower.
John General told the court that while he was praying near a corridor, the husband allegedly emerged with a firearm and ordered him to stop.
He said the man instructed him to remove his clothes while moving closer, leaving him with a choice between modesty and survival.
As if the situation was not awkward enough, the preacher claimed the woman laughed during the ordeal and allegedly encouraged him to comply with her husband’s instructions or risk being shot.
Faced with what he described as an impossible situation, the prophet said he undressed before seizing an opportunity to flee, sprinting through the neighbourhood “as naked as a newborn baby.”
Unlike Adam in the Garden of Eden, who realised he was naked only after eating the forbidden fruit, the preacher suggested he became painfully aware of his lack of clothing only after his emergency evangelistic marathon through Jamaica Compound had begun.
He further told the court that immediately after escaping, he reported the alleged incident to Matero Police Station.
The preacher also spoke warmly of his wife, describing her loyalty as being comparable to Ruth’s unwavering devotion to Naomi, although observers may have quietly reflected that even the Book of Ruth contains fewer plot twists than the evidence currently unfolding before the court.
As both the prosecution and the defence continue presenting their cases, the courtroom remains the only place where miracles are not accepted without evidence.
Magistrate Amy Masoja adjourned the matter to July 10, 2026, when the defence is expected to continue.
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