Musician Peter Sambo says he intends to file defamation lawsuits in both Malawi and South Africa following remarks made about him during a televised interview earlier this month.
In a letter dated this week to UK law firm Batesi Bagonenge Lawyers, Sambo responded to a demand letter the firm had sent him on behalf of Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) leader Shepherd Bushiri.
Sambo stated that he watched Bushiri’s 4 April 2026 interview on Times Television with presenter Wonder Msiska.
He claims statements made by Bushiri during that broadcast were “false and damaging” to his reputation and relate to his previous work with ECG in South Africa.
“These statements were not provoked and are not true. They are defamatory and harmful,” Sambo wrote in his response.
As a result, Sambo says he has instructed lawyers to commence legal action against Bushiri, Times Group, and Msiska personally. He also plans to file a parallel case in South Africa, citing the geographic link to the events referenced in the interview.
In his letter, Sambo set out three conditions to avoid litigation Public retraction of the statements via a televised interview, press releases in Malawi’s Daily Times and The Nation, and posts on Bushiri’s and Times Group’s Facebook pages.
Further, Sambo has demanded compensation of GBP 100,000, or its equivalent in South African Rands, for what he describes as reputational and professional harm.
He argues the broadcast led people to believe he was involved in serious criminal conduct, including abduction and human trafficking.
Public apology to the community of persons with mental disabilities, for what Sambo called suggestions that people with psychosocial or cognitive disabilities cannot contribute to society.
Sambo gave a 14-day deadline for the demands to be met, stating that his legal teams in Malawi and South Africa are “ready to take the next legal steps” if they are not.
