MU S I C I A N S Association of Malawi (Mam) has been forced to go down on their knees and apologise to its former president Costen Mapemba who has sued the body for defamation.

This follows a recent letter from Mam Central Region chapter regarding the handling of the MUM-SMF Swedish project.

The Central Region body asked the mother body, through its president Ch imwemwe Mh an g o, to intervene and have the projects accounts handed

over to the new executive as they were allegedly still being managed by Mapemba.

But Mapemba denied the allegations, prompting him to sue Mam for defamation.

Last week Mapemba confirmed that he was suing Mam.

I n r e a c t i o n , t h e musicians' body has retracted its stand and asked Mapemba to withdraw the pending court case.

A statement from Mam signed by secretary general Thomas Lupesya said the body has decided to apologise to Mapemba.

"We would like to make an apology to Mr Mapemba because the issues which were exposed in the media recently were hurried by some members and they were not discussed by the executive and board of trustees," said Lupesya.

He further said in the statement that the issues raised recently against Mapemba and his executive came from disgruntled members.

Mhango also said they received the letter from Mapemba's lawyers but they thought it wise to apologise and settle the issue amicably.

Mapemba could not be reached for comment Wednesday.