FORMER Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo has been removed from the Zambia Helpers Society (ZHS), the organisation he founded in 1996, after members abolished the position of president.

And Archbishop Milingo has denied that he signed a deed of gift agreement transferring ownership of his farm, number 456a in Shimabala to ZHS.

He confirmed in an interview in Lusaka that he had been tossed out of the organisation which he founded after members altered the society's constitution.

The archbishop said ZHS members had completely changed the constitution to bar him from continuing heading the society as founding president.

"I have been kicked out by the society I founded. They have changed the constitution so that they will have nothing to do with me, this is very unfair," he said.

Archbishop Milingo, however, said he would not allow the situation to remain as it is and would ensure that fairness prevailed.

ZHS board chairperson, Chivwara Phiri said during a ZHS special annual general meeting (AGM) held on July 10 this year that the members voted against Archbishop Milingo continuing as president.

Mr Phiri said the archbishop would, however, continue as founder, trustee and patron of the society, adding that the issue could be revisited during the forthcoming ordinary AGM.

And in the ongoing controversy over the ownership of the farm commonly known as Lukamantano, off Kafue Road, Archbishop Milingo charged that he had been swindled out of the piece of land because the -signature on the deed gift document is not his.

He said he had reported the matter to the police.

The wrangle over the farm in question surfaced following Archbishop Milingo's departure from the Roman Catholic Church.

The cleric founded ZHS in 1966 while he was still in the Catholic Church, and with the help of several donors and own resources he embarked on a development programme.

Among the facilities constructed at the farm are a hospital, school, post office and a shop.

After he left the church, the question arose as to whether the land was his personally or had been bequeathed to ZHS.

Records at the Ministry of Lands show that Archbishop Milingo purportedly gave the two pieces of land to ZHS in 2003 and early this year.

According to the Deed Gift document made available to the Sunday Times, Archbishop Milingo and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone from the Vatican signed the deed transferring ownership of the farm land to ZHS.

Archbishop Milingo, however, strongly denies that he had signed the document.