By Jude Etyang

Third Deputy Prime Minister Lt. General Moses Ali is not impotent, he told court yesterday.

Testifying in a case of defamation he filed against The Monitor, Moses Ali declared four wives and 30 children.

Moses Ali, represented by Paul Palia Kiapi, was testifying as the only witness. He sued the paper for allegedly implying in a health story that he was impotent.

“I have four wives and 30 children produced with the wives,” said Ali.
He said The Monitor story on February 9, 2002, misinformed the public.

The story titled “Diabetic men more prone to impotence” was accompanied by a photograph of Moses Ali and a fat white man. The caption said, “People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from diabetes than their lean counter parts.”

Moses Ali said the story and photo implied that he was diabetic and impotent neither of which is correct.

Ali said the story ruined his reputation and raised concern among his family and friends including health state minister Mike Mukula.

“Hon Mukula called me and he was concerned. He asked me why did I not tell them that I was impotent. My wives were concerned that if I was impotent it meant that they had been cheating on me to get the children,” said Ali during a hearing at the High Court. Ali said his two children in America called him about the matter. Ali wants damages and a permanent injunction against further defamation. The paper responds on February 4.