Zambian Archbishop Banda's Prison Ordeal Unveiled: Bail Saga Sparks Official Visits Amidst Vehicle Scandal

Law enforcement agencies in Zambia have been actively investigating a complex case of abuse of office within the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and the illegal possession of proceeds of crime, which has implicated several private individuals, including the incumbent Catholic Archbishop of Lusaka, Alick Banda. The investigation, initiated in 2022, delves into the questionable disposal of at least 22 motor vehicles from ZRA during the previous administration of late former President Edgar Lungu. These vehicles were allegedly released for election campaigns or gifted to political sympathizers, with records indicating that some were passed to ZRA employees and private entities aligned with the then-ruling party.

In connection with these irregularities, former ZRA Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda and his Director of Administration Callistus Kaoma have already been convicted and sentenced to six and nine years, respectively, for failing to follow proper procedure in disposing of government vehicles.

Central to the ongoing probe is a specific Toyota Hilux, registration number ALF 7734. According to ZRA and RTSA records, this vehicle was purportedly sold to a ZRA employee named Mulopa Kaunda. Documents suggest Kaunda changed the car's ownership into his name on April 21, 2021, and then gifted it to Archbishop Alick Banda, who subsequently changed the ownership into his personal name the very next day, April 22, 2021. Another ZRA vehicle was reportedly gifted to the organization Heart of Mercy.

However, Mulopa Kaunda vehemently denies any involvement in the transaction. In a surprising revelation, Kaunda states that he never participated in any tender or auction to purchase the vehicle from ZRA and has no acquaintance with Archbishop Banda. He recounted the immense emotional distress, reputational damage, and even hospitalization due to high blood pressure, following the public scandalization after Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba published documents linking him to the scandal.

Kaunda detailed how he unknowingly became entangled in the matter. On December 17, 2020, while working in Ndola, he received an internal email from the ZRA accounts department with a receipt acknowledging payment for a vehicle he supposedly bought through an auction. Shocked, he informed his superiors, including finance and Director Administration Callistus Kaoma, who initially dismissed it as an error. Subsequently, a new receipt was issued for the same transaction, effectively forcing the purchase upon him. Kaunda asserted that he has never seen, touched, or had the financial capacity to buy such a vehicle.

Regarding how his name appeared on the vehicle's "white book," Kaunda explained that his boss, Mr. Kaoma, requested his National Registration Card (NRC) via WhatsApp. Although uncomfortable, he eventually sent it via work email to Kaoma's personal email due to their professional relationship and a long-standing family acquaintance (Kaoma was a friend of Kaunda's father). Kaunda states that this was the only action he genuinely took related to the vehicle, reiterating he never knew its purpose.

Kaunda's alibi further complicates the narrative. Records suggesting he drove the vehicle out of ZRA offices in Lusaka on November 13, 2020, are disputed by Kaunda, who states he was in Ndola on that date. He urges investigators to check CCTV footage and question the person who issued the gate pass, as he was only transferred to Lusaka in May 2022.

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) later summoned Kaunda for questioning in 2021 and again in September 2024. He engaged a lawyer and consistently maintained his innocence, noting discrepancies in the receipts presented by investigators. He expressed his frustration, describing the ordeal as a "bad record" and the constant interrogations as taxing, bringing his wife along for support during recent summons out of fear of arrest. Despite the professional and personal toll, he remains employed by ZRA, which he credits for its patience, as he has not faced any disciplinary action.

The investigation escalated significantly with the arrest and formal charging of Archbishop Alick Banda by the DEC. On Monday, he was charged with possession of property reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained, contrary to Section 319 of the Penal Code. The charge alleges that between April 22, 2021, and December 27, 2023, Archbishop Banda possessed the blue Toyota Hilux (ALF 7734) believed to have been unlawfully obtained from ZRA. Dressed in black, he pleaded not guilty before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court.

Despite being granted K80,000 bail in his own recognisance and ordered to surrender all travel documents, Archbishop Banda spent a night remanded at Chimbokaila Prison due to delays in finalising the bail conditions. Following his detention, a delegation from the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), led by President Most Rev. Ignatius Chama, visited him at Chimbokaila Prison. His lawyers, including John Sangwa SC and Bonaventure Mutale SC, worked to secure his release.

DEC Director General Nason Banda confirmed that the commission had interrogated Kaunda, who pleaded innocence, aligning with his public statements. Banda also explained the prolonged nature of the investigation, stating they were meticulously gathering solid information before summoning high-profile individuals like the Archbishop, in line with presidential guidance. He hinted that the recent summoning indicates their confidence in the evidence collected.

Archbishop Alick Banda, ordained in 1994 and appointed Bishop of Ndola in 2009 before serving the Archdiocese of Lusaka since 2018, has been known for his critical stance against the current UPND government, much like his predecessor, Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu, was critical of the Patriotic Front government. His arrest has generated mixed reactions among citizens and the Catholic faithful, with some expressing concern over potential political persecution, while others call for calm and judicial process.

The case is expected to proceed to trial, with further court mentions anticipated.